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Period: to
Gold Rush
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J McBrien
First official reports of the finding of gold in Australia by J McBrien. The information was suppressed. -
Geologists
Geologists P E Strzelecki and Rev W B Clarke find gold near Hartley. -
Transportation
Transportation of convicts to NSW ceased. -
Discovery in California
Gold discovered in California (announced in December 1848). -
Governor Fitzroy
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. -
Australians sailing for California
Californian gold rush. A great many Australians sailed for California. -
Edward Hargraves
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. -
Prospectors multiplied
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. -
Licence
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. -
New licence
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. -
Voting in Victoria
NSW adopted similar changes in licensing and voting to Victoria. -
Discovery in British Columbia
Gold discovered in British Columbia (25 000 prospectors). -
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. -
1860-1861
Lambing Flat riots, in which whites attacked Chinese miners. -
Chinese Miners
An influx of Chinese miners meant that by 1860 one fifth of all adult men in
Victoria were Chinese. -
Discovery 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. -
Discovery in Coolgardie
Gold discovered at Coolgardie, WA. -
A valuabule Gold Field
A valuable gold field discovered in Gympie, Queensland. -
Valuable deposits
Valuable deposits of very deep gold discovered on the Rand, South Africa. It took
money and machinery to extract this gold. -
Discovery at Kalgoorlie
Gold discovered at Kalgoorlie, WA. -
Discovery in Alaska
Gold discovered in Alaska.
