January 13th, 2012, VANCOUVER, B.C.



– ASHBURTON VENTURES INC.
(ABR-TSX:V) (ARB-FRANKFURT)  (“Ashburton”
or the “Company”)

is
pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement with Premier Gold Mines (PG-TSX;
‘Premier’) to option the Golden Edge property, located 50 kilometers east of
Winnemucca, Nevada. The 2012 exploration program for Golden Edge will emphasize
drilling for a concealed bulk minable gold target ideally positioned on a
north-south structure 26 kilometers south of the
Turquoise
Ridge Mine (operated by Barrick Gold Corporation) and eight kilometers north of
the Lone Tree Mine (operated by Newmont Mining Corporation). All of the gold
and base metals deposits in this area are intimately associated with structures,
with the Lone Tree Mine focused on a 90m-wide structure called the Valmy fault
zone that is believed to extend northward onto the western portion of the
Golden Edge property based on regional magnetics.

Golden
Edge was acquired by Premier after review of historical activity on or near the
property, most of which was completed in the late 1990’s. Based on historical geophysics
and drilling completed over six drill holes, mineralization is believed to lie
beneath 200-500m of cover in Paleozoic-aged detrital and carbonate rocks of the
Antler orogenic belt.

Ashburton
may establish a 50%-50% joint venture agreement with Premier by completing a $750,000
year-one work commitment that includes at least $500,000 directed toward
drilling. An additional $2,250,000 in exploration expenditures is required over
year two and three to complete the 50% interest in the property. 

As
announced previously (see news release
November 3rd, 2011), the Company has also entered into an
alliance with Premier, in which Ashburton will assess new gold exploration
opportunities in North America exclusive of Premier’s Red Lake and Saddle
project areas.

The
technical contents of this release were approved by Dr. Tom McCandless, P.Geo.,
Vice President, Exploration for Ashburton and a qualified person as defined by
National Instrument 43-101.

Ashburton
Ventures Incorporated is a Canadian-based junior exploration with active
mineral programs in the Yukon, Canada and Nevada,
USA.

Premier
Gold Mines Limited is one of North America’s leading exploration companies with
a high-quality portfolio of projects focused in Canada
and the United States.
The portfolio includes significant assets in world class gold mining districts
such as Red Lake,
Musselwhite and Geraldton in Ontario and the
Carlin Trend in Nevada.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Michael England, President


For further
information contact:

Telephone:
(604) 683-3995



Forward-Looking Statement:
Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information that
involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Ashburton
Ventures Inc. Actual results may differ materially from those currently
anticipated in such statements. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its
Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.