Eureka Stockade

By 20frisardil

  • Licensing system introduced

    Licensing system introduced by Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe.
    Miners had to pay for a licence to be able to mine for gold.

  • Licensing Hunts

    Lt Governor Charles Hotham arrives in Victoria. He realises the colony is in mounting financial debt so he orders weekly licensing hunts in the attempt to increase the colonies’ income.

  • Governor Hotham

    Governor Hotham and his wife tour the gold fields. They receive warm welcomes from the miners.

  • Twice-weekly licence checks

    Twice-weekly licence checks were introduced on the Ballarat diggings.

  • James Scobie Murdered

    James Scobie, a miner, is murdered outside the Eureka Hotel.
    James Bentley, the owner of the Eureka Hotel, was charged with Scobie's murder.

  • Police reinforcements

    The Police reinforcements arrive.

  • People were taken into custody

    Several people were taken into custody for the burning of the Eureka hotel.

  • Meeting was held after Sunday Mass

    A meeting was held after Sunday Mass in the chapel to protest the treatment of Reverend Father Smyth and his slave Gregorious. Delegates were appointed to pressure the Government for a review of what happened with Gregorious's arrest as it was seen as a mass insult to the church and Father Smyth.

  • Representatives sent to commissioner Rede

    Miners send a group of representatives to commissioner Rede to have the police involved in Johann Gregorious arrest removed.

  • Meeting held to hear the results

    A meeting held to hear the results from the group of representatives in regards to Johann Gregorious arrest. The meeting resolves to petition the Governor for a retrial of Johann Gregorious and to remove Commissioner Johnston from Ballarat.

  • Demands that the licence be eliminated

    The Ballarat reform league was getting ready to go to Melbourne and put forward the concerns of the miners. The miners who were in custody for the Eureka hotel Fire were taking to Melbourne for trial. A meeting was called by the miners, they made demands that the licence be eliminated, and the prisoners suspected or burning down the Eureka hotel be released.

  • Governor Hotham sends a commission

    Governor Hotham sends a commission to report on the conditions on the gold field.

  • James Bentley was re-arrested

    James Bentley was re-arrested and trialled over Scobie's murder and was convicted of manslaughter along with Thomas Farrell and William Hence.
    The miners are convicted and sentenced to jail for burning down the Eureka Hotel

  • Miners attack the soldiers

    The Government sends soldiers to Ballarat. The miners attack the soldiers.

  • Miners meet on Bakery Hill again

    The miners meet on Bakery Hill again, more than 10,000 miners attend. The group of representatives report of their meeting with the Governor. The Eureka flag is flown for the first time and some miners burnt their licences.

  • Commissioner Rede orders a license hunt

    Commissioner Rede orders a license hunt. The miners refuse to show their license and throw rocks at the troopers. The troops fire shots from their guns over the heads of the miners.
    Another meeting is held on Bakery Hill, Peter Lalor becomes the leader and calls for volunteers. Hundreds of people swear their oath to defend their rights and liberties under the Eureka flag.
    The Eureka stockade is erected.

  • Soldiers attacked

    In the early morning, when there were only approximately 200 miners in the stockade, the soldiers attacked. Minutes the battle ended. 22 miners were killed as well as five soldiers.

  • Martial law is established

    Martial law is established. The miners were taken prisoner and 13 are charged with treason.

  • Peter Lalor sent local priest to negotiate with Commissioner Rede

    Peter Lalor sent Father Patrick Smyth (local priest), Raffarelo Carboni (writer) & George Black (one of the Ballarat Reform League leaders) to negotiate with Commissioner Rede.

  • Miner’s trial takes place

    The miner’s trial takes place in Melbourne and all the miners were acquitted.

  • A royal Commission is established

    A royal Commission is established to investigate the miner's grievances. It leads to improvements in conditions on the Goldfields. The cost of the Licence is reduced and the miners are given rights to vote.