Timeline of Australian Gold Rush

  • An unrecorded discovery of gold

    The first sighting of gold in Australia. However the Governor of the time, William Bligh. Made orders so the news didn’t go public. He believed if the public knew about the gold, then convicts would become out of hand.
  • Discovery of gold

    Discovery of gold
    The discovery of gold made by Edward Hargraves at Ophir. He had help from the Tom brothers and John Lista.
  • Overseas Miners

    Approximately 100000 prospectors arrive in Australia, goldfields from overseas
  • Ballarat was named the richest goldfields

    Ballarat was named the richest goldfields in the world. Australia was the richest country in the world
  • Miners license fees are reduced

    The license fees are reduced from 30 shillings to 10 shillings
  • Eureka stockade in Victoria

    Eureka stockade in Victoria
    The miners formed a group of 500, led by Peter Lalor. The group took an oath underneath the Southern Cross flag to fight and stand together for their rights. They built a stockade on Bakery Hill and retreated behind it. The fight began and only lasted 10 minutes. The miners were outnumbered, 34 men were injured and 22 died. The Eureka stockade was based on arguments about the licences and the licence fees.
  • The Miner’s Right was introduced

    In result to the Eureka stockade, the Miner’s Right was announced in Victoria. Mining license now cost 1 shilling each year and allowed the miners the right to vote. There was now over 10000 Chinese miners in Melbourne
  • The Miner’s Right in New South Wales

    Due to the new laws introduced in Victoria, New South Wales changes to Victoria’s polices regarding mining.
  • Gold in Northern Queensland

    Gold was discovered near the Fitzroy River in Northern Queensland.
  • Chinese in Australia

    Chinese in Australia
    In Victoria one fifth of the population for adult man became chinses. During the Lambing Flat riots at Burrangong, New South Wales, white miners attacked the Chinese miners. The white miners grew a large disliking for Chinese for not investing their gold in Australia and hiding the gold to take home to china. Although most of the overseas miners planned to do the same.
  • Gold found in Coolgardie, Western Australia

    In Western Australia at Coolgardie, gold was discovered.
  • Gold found in Gympie, Queensland

    At Gympie in Queensland, gold was discovered.