Miner

The Gold Rush

By AnThy.T

  • First official reports of the finding of gold in Australia.

    The gold was found by J McBrien. The news was kept quiet by the Government.
  • Period: to

    The Gold Rush

  • Geologists P E Strzelecki and Rev W B Clarke find gold.

    They found it near Hartley.

  • Transportation of convicts to NSW ceased.

    Less convicts came to Australia.

  • Gold discovered in California.

    More gold was discovered.

  • Californian gold rush.

    Many Australians sailed to California for gold.

  • Governor Fitzroy approved mining for minerals.

    Governor Fitzroy approached the Colonial Office, advocating a policy for the
    exploitation of mineral resources. He requested a geologist, which led to the
    appointment of Samuel Stutchbury. This gave approval for the mining of mineral
    resources.

  • Edward Hargraves found gold at Summer Hill Creek, Ophir

    Edward Hargraves returned from California and washed gold at Summer Hill Creek, Ophir.
    The early rush to the NSW fields led to a serious decline in the population of Victoria, so a reward was offered for 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 were imposed.

  • Prospectors 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.

  • The licence fee for gold licenses were reduced.

    The licence fee in NSW was reduced to 10/- a month after near riots at Turon.
    Victoria followed suit a few months later.

  • Miners were unhappy about the licensing system.

    Discontent with the licensing system and lack of political rights came to a head in
    the Eureka Stockade. An inquiry followed.

  • The 'Miner's Right' was introduced.

    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.

  • NSW changed their systems.

    NSW adopted similar changes in licensing and voting to Victoria.

  • Gold discovered in British Columbia.

    25 000 prospectors found it.

  • Gold was found north of 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.

  • There were lots of Chinese Miners

    An influx of Chinese miners meant that by 1860 one fifth of all adult men in
    Victoria were Chinese.

  • Whites attacked Chinese miners

    Lambing Flat riots, in which whites attacked Chinese miners.
    (this event actually lasted till 1861)

  • 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 discovered at Coolgardie, WA.

  • A valuable gold field discovered in Gympie, Queensland.

  • Deposits of gold discovered on The Rand, South Africa.

    Valuable deposits of very deep gold discovered on the Rand, South Africa. It took
    money and machinery to extract this gold.

  • Gold discovered at Kalgoorlie, WA.

  • Gold discovered in Alaska.