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First Official Report of Gold
First official reports of the finding of gold in Australia by James McBrien.However, the information was suppressed. -
Eureka !!!
Geologists P E Strzelecki and Rev W B Clarke find gold near Hartley. -
Cease of Convict Transportation
Transportation of convicts to NSW ceased. -
Eureka in California
Gold discovered in California . -
California Gold Rush
Californian gold rush. A great many Australians sailed for California. -
Requests
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. -
Eureka !!!
Edward Hargraves returned from California and washed gold Eat 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 of 1851 the incredibly rich Ballarat and Bendigo fields were in production. Licence fees of 30/- a month were imposed. -
Gold Fever
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. -
License Fee Reduction
The licence fee in NSW was reduced to 10/- a month after near riots at Turon.Victoria followed suit a few months later. -
Eureka Stockade
Discontent with the licensing system and lack of political rights came to a head in the Eureka Stockade. An inquiry followed. -
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. -
Changes
NSW adopted similar changes in licensing and voting to Victoria. -
Eureka - Queensland !!!
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. -
Chinese Immigrants
An influx of Chinese miners meant that by 1860 one fifth of all adult men in Victoria were Chinese. -
Period: to
Attack
Lambing Flat riots, in which whites attacked Chinese miners. -
Eureka - 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. -
Eureka - Western Australia !!!
Gold discovered at Coolgardie, WA. -
Discovery of a Gold Field - Queensland
A valuable gold field discovered in Gympie, Queensland. -
Eureka - Western Australia !!!
Gold discovered at Kalgoorlie, WA.
