The history of Gold

Gold was found by Edward Hargraves

Jul 7, 1851

370,000 immigrants arrived in Australia’s ports

Jan 1, 1852

370,000 immigrants arrived in Australia’s ports during the year 1852 alone.

Gold licences are introduced

May 23, 1853

The Australian goldrushes transformed Australia as hundreds of thousands of hopeful diggers rushed to New South Wales and Victoria in search of their fortune. The gold license system was introduced soon after the first rushes began: from 23 May 1851 in New South Wales and from 1 September 1851 in Victoria. Everyone wanting to dig for gold had to pay 30 shillings ($1.50) a month for a license. This allowed digging within a specific area and laid down certain rules: diggers must carry their licens

The Heron nugget was found

Jan 1, 1855

In 1855 at the Mount Alexander goldfield, a group of inexperienced miners where sent to a claim in Golden Gully that was believed to be empty. Such spots were called ‘duffer claims’ and were thought to be useless. However, in this case, the nasty trick very swiftly backfired. On only their second day of digging, the miners unearthed a 1008 ounce gold nugget which would change their lives forever. The nugget was named after a well liked gold commissioner called Mr Heron.

First gold nugget found

Jun 10, 1858

Ballarat

•'Welcome Stranger' nugget discovered

Jan 1, 1869

•'Welcome Stranger' nugget discovered by John Deason and Richard Oates in Moliagul, Victoria. It is the world's largest nugget found to date.

Biggest gold nugget found

Jul 22, 1872

The influx of the Chinese Restriction Act was introuduced

Jan 1, 1881

The Hand of Faith was found

Sep 26, 1980

It and weighs 875 troy ounces (27.21 kilograms) making it also the largest still in existence