Gabriel Read (1824 - 1894) was an Australian gold prospector who, after working on the goldfields of California and Victoria, Australia travelled to New Zealand, having heard rumours of gold being found in Mataura, Southland. On 20 May 1861, he discovered gold close to the banks of the Tuapeka River in Otago, at Gabriel's Gully, which is named after him. This discovery led to the Central Otago goldrush. He died in Hobart, Tasmania.