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First official find of gold in Australia.
First official reports of the finding of gold in Australia by J McBrien. The information was suppressed. -
Period: to
Gold!
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Gold near Hartley!
Geologists P E Strzeleckiand Rev W B Clarke find gold near Hartley. -
No more convicts.
Transportation of convicts to NSW ceased. -
California!
Gold discovered in California (announced in December 1848). -
Lots of people in California.
Californian gold rush. A great many Australians sailed for California. -
Approval of mining minerals.
Governor Fitzroy approaches the Colonial Office, advocating a policy for the explotation of mineral resources. He requested a geologist, which lead to the appointment of Samuel Stutchbury. This gave the approval for the mining of mineral resources. -
Gold Rewards.
Edward Hargraves returned from California and washed gold at Summer Hill Creek, Ophir. Although he showed little skill in discovering new fields, he received recognition and financial rewards. The early rush to the NSW fields led to a serious decline in the population in Victoria, so a reward was offered for the discovery of gold in that region. Several claimants came forward, and by the end of 1851 the incredibly rich Ballarat and Bendigo fields were in production.
Licence fees of 30/- a month. -
Foreign Prospectors are here!
Video about the Gold RushProspectors started arriving from overseas. Approximately 100 ,000 arrived in 1852. Ships' crews deserted. Women were left while their husbands went in search of gold. Australia's population went from 404 276 to 1 097 305 between 1850 and 1860. Small gold deposits were discovered in New Zealand. -
Reduction of License fee
The licence fee in NSW was reduced to 10/- a month after near riots at Turon. Victoria followed suit a few months later. -
The miner's political rights
Discontent with the licensing system and lack of political rights came to a head in the Eureka Stockade. An inquiry followed. -
New Miner's Right
In Victoria, the licence was replaced with the `Miner's Right', costing 1/- per annum and carrying the right to vote. An export duty of 2s 6d per ounce was placed on gold instead. -
New reforms in NSW
New South Wales adopted similar changes in licensing and voting to Victoria. -
Gold at Fitzroy River
A small deposit of gold was discovered north of Fitzroy River in north Queensland. The few acres were soon exhausted by the arrivals. 5000-6000 footsore and penniless diggers had to be helped to return to Victoria or to the inland NSW goldfields. -
Gold in British Columbia
Gold discovered in British Columbia (25 000 prospectors). -
Lots of Chinese!
An influx of Chinese miners meant that by 1860 one fifth of all adult men in Victoria were Chinese. -
The Lambing Flat Riots
Lambing Flat riots, in which whites attacked Chinese miners. -
Workable gold discovered in New Zealand
Workable gold discovered in New Zealand. Between 1861 and 1863, 64 000 people travelled to Otago from Australia, while only 8600 arrived from Britain. -
Gold in WA!
Gold discovered at Coolgardie, Western Australia. -
Gympie Goldfields
A valuable gold field discovered in Gympie, Queensland. -
South African Gold
Valuable deposits of very deep gold discovered on the Rand, South Africa. It took money and machinery to extract this gold. -
More wealth for WA
Gold discovered at Kalgoorlie, WA. -
Alaska
Gold discovered in Alaska.
