Australian Goldrush Part I In the 1850's, the focus on Australia was all about gold and the boomtime rushes it created!When you consider how 'gold fever' totally gripped the population in the 1850's and later decades, it is perhaps suprising to be told that the existence of gold in Australia was well known before 1851.  More...

Australian Goldrush Part II Hargraves was not believed, but he was given a horse and sent back west to show the new government mineral surveyor where the gold was. In the meantime, the brothers with a cradle had written to say they had found a richer deposit.  More...

Australian Goldrush Part III In 1851, by law, all minerals and treasure-trove found in Australia, whether on private property or on public property, belonged to the crown.  More...

How The Diggers Lived When the diggers arrived, they pitched tents wherever they could and settled down to the hard work of finding gold. Very few diggers had their families with them.  More...

Gold Discovered in Mt. Alexander On 8th September, 1851 the Argus published this piece; Dear Sir, I wish to publish these few lines in your valuable paper that the public may know that there is gold found in these ranges about four miles from Dr Barker's home station, and about a mile from the Melbourne road, at the Southernmost point of Mount Alexander"  More...

License Tax Unpopular ! 15 December 1851: Over 10,000 diggers responded to this notice pinned to trees across the Mt Alexander goldfield: "FELLOW DIGGERS! The intelligence has just arrived of the resolution of the Government to double the license fee. Will you tamely submit to the imposition or assert your rights as men? You are called upon to pay a tax originated and concocted by the most heartless selfishness, ...  More...