-
first finding in Australia
First official gold finding in Australia by J McBrien.The imformation was suppressed -
gold near Hartley
Geologists P E Strzelecki and Rev W B Clarke find gold near Hartley -
Transportation of convicts
Transportation of convicts to NSW ceased -
gold in California
Gold discovered in California(announced in December 1848) -
Rush to California
Californian gold rush. A great many Australians sailed for California. -
Requesting a geologist
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. -
Edward Hargraves returns from California
1851
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. Several claimants came forward, and by the end of 1851 the incredibly rich Ballarat and Bendigo fields were in production.
Licence fees of 30/- a -
prospecters arriving
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 fee reduced!
The licence fee in NSW was reduced to 10/- a month after near riots at Turon.
Victoria followed suit a few months later. -
Discontent with licence system
Discontent with the licensing system and lack of political rights came to a head in
the Eureka Stockade. An inquiry followed. -
Replaced with miners 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. -
Voting to Victoria
NSW adopted similar changes in licensing and voting to Victoria. -
Gold in British Columbia
Gold discovered in British Columbia (25 000 prospectors). -
Small deposit of gold at north of 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. -
Whites attack chinese miners
Lambing Flat riots, in which whites attacked Chinese miners.From
1860 to 1861 -
The influx of Chinese miners
An influx of Chinese miners meant that by 1860 one fifth of all adult men in Victoria were Chinese. -
Travelling to Australia
Workable gold discovered in New Zealand. Between 1861 and 1863, 64 000people travelled to Otago from Australia, while only 8600 arrived from Britain. -
Gold
Gold discovered at Coolgardie, WA. -
Valuable goldfield
A valuable gold field discovered in Gympie, Queensland. -
Very deep gold
Valuable deposits of very deep gold discovered on the Rand, South Africa. It took money and machinery to extract this gold. -
Kalgoorlie with gold
Gold discovered at Kalgoorlie, WA. -
Gold in Alaska
Gold discovered in Alaska.
