Timeline: Australian Gold Rush Timeline

1823

First discovery of gold

Government
Surveyor James
McBrien discovers
traces of gold in
the Fish River,
east of Bathurst.

1839

Discovery in the Blue Mountains.

Explorer and geologist Paul de Strzelecki
discovers small amounts of gold in silicate
near Hartley in the Blue Mountains. On hearing
of the f ind, New South Wales Governor George
Gipps officially requests that no mentions are made of it in de Strzelecki's reports.

1840

Finding gold Sheep

William Campbell
finds gold on his
sheep run in
Strathlodden,
Victoria.

1844

Finding a little bit of gold

Clergyman and amateur
geologist William Branwhite
Clarke discovers traces of
gold at Hassan's Wells, near
Lithgow. When presented with
these new discoveries,
Governor George Gipps
responds, 'Put it away, Mr
Clarke, or we shall all have
our throats cut.'

1844

Hiding gold

Governor George
Gipps moves to
suppress all
reports of gold
discoveries in
New South
Wales.

1851

First payable gold

First payable gold
discovered at Ophir
in NSW by Edward
Hargraves beginning of the
great Australian
gold rush.

1854

Gold Miners rebel

Gold Miners rebel
at Eureka,
Victoria.The rebellion led
to the abolition of
the Miner's Licence.

1855

The First Royal Mint

British Secretary of State gives permission for the establishment of the Sydney Mint. This was the first Royal Mint to be established outside of England.

1866

Gold discovered in Queensland

Gold discovered
in Queensland,
at Rockhampton.

1869

The world largest piece of gold.

'Welcome Stranger'
nugget discovered
by John Deason
and Richard Oates
in Moliagul,
Victoria. It is the
world's largest
nugget found to
date.

1870

First gold found in SA Birdwood.

Rich gold
deposits found in
North Queensland.
First gold
discovered in SA
at Birdwood.

1872

The largest piece of gold-bearing material

World's largest piece of
gold-bearing material,
the Holtermann Nugget (a
mixture of slate and gold
weighing 235 kg) found by
William Holtermann at
Hill End, NSW.