Alexia Alderton, who works at a local mine, was amazed to find the gun in September near the Ernest Henry Bridge.

She handed it over to the police and they examined the serial number. A gun dealer also examined the weapon. 

“The police had to keep it for a period of time and run some checks on the weapon, and now weapons and licensing have now classified the gun as an antique weapon,” she said. 

The colt was returned to her in early November.

The trigger has been removed, it’s inoperable, and ammunition is not commercially available, Ms Alderton said.

Cloncurry’s officer-in-charge, Senior Sergeant Brad Rix, confirmed the find.

“Once it was classified as antique and no connection could be made historically to any acts, lawful or unlawful, it was rightfully returned to her as unclaimed found property,” Senior Sergeant Rix said. 

Ms Alderton said the gun was to go to a gunsmith so she could have a handle made for it.

It would then sit in a frame after other alterations were made. 

But she was curious to learn the history of the gun and how it came to be in the Cloncurry River. 

The Smithsonian Institute said the weapon was .36 caliber was manufactured from 1861 to 1873. It had links to the American Civil War. 

“It is uncertain how many were purchased for the US Navy during the war,” the institute’s website said.