• Australian gold stocks fall as much as 4.1% to hit their lowest level since June 15

• Sub-index on track for a third straight session of losses

• Gold fell to a more than seven-month low overnight, due to pressure from a firmer U.S. dollar and growing expectations of interest rate hikes [GOL/]

• Shares of gold miners Northern Star Resources and Evolution Mining drop more than 3% each

• Sub-index has fallen 17.9% this year, including session moves

(Reporting by Roshan Thomas in Bengaluru)