The Eureka Stockade

How has this moment in history shaped Australia's identity?

Author: Michelle Shanks

Image retrieved from http://www.businessday.com.au/small-business/entrepreneur/gold-fever-how-to-be-a-gold-prospector-20120323-1voxh.html

In 1851 Gold was discovered in the valleys and creeks surrounding the present day site of Ballart. Within

weeks this pristine Aboriginal resting area and colonial pastoral region was inundated by thousands of people digging for gold. The Australian gold rush had begun. How would your search for gold change the natural

environment?

Image retrieved from  http://www.egold.net.au/objects/DEG000188.htm

As news of gold quickly spread, people from all over the world flocked to a new life on the goldfields to find their fortunes. Ballart became the new frontier, where

tens of thousands of diggers worked their claims. A wide variety of cultural backgrounds and nationalities were represented, turning the Victorian goldfields into

Australia's first multicultural community. How have cultural attitudes & tolerance changed over

time?

Image retrieved from http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-gold-rush

Much of Victoria was crown land therefore gold could not be mined without government permission. A

goldfield licencing fee of 30 shillings per month was introduced and the diggers had to pay their dues on

demand, yet they had no voice in the administration of the goldfields. How do you think this made the miners

feel?

Image 1 retrieved from http://the-great-australian-goldrush.wikispaces.com/The+Eureka+StockadeImage 2 retrieved from http://wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php/File:Gold_license.jpg

Between 1851 and 1854 tensions were building on the goldfields. Clashes between authorities

and miners became more frequent with significant discontent brewing over the

injustice of the goldfield licencing system. The miners set about petitioning the government to

revoke the licence fees and held a large protest rally that began a movement for

political change.

Image retrieved fromhttp://www.ballaratreformleague.org.au/chewton.htm

On August 1st 1853 the ‘Bendigo Goldfields Petition’ was presented to Lieutenant-Governor Charles Joseph La

Trobe. Over five thousand miners from across the Victorian goldfields had signed the petition which

stretched for more than 13 metres in length. In response Sir Charles Hotham proposed increasing the cost of a

miner’s licence and ordered more frequent licence inspections.

Image retrieved from http://www.monstermeeting.net/archives/the-diggers-flag/

Simmering tensions exploded in October 1854 when young Scottish digger

James Scobie was killed during a brawl outside the Eureka Hotel in Ballarat. Police

corruption was suspected when the accused culprits were acquitted, triggering

a violent protest in which the hotel was burnt to the ground.

Image retrieved from http://www.igougo.com/journal-j68916-Ballarat-Ballarats_Gold_History_and_Culture.html

Image retrieved from http://www.ballaratreformleague.org.au/

On November 11, an estimated crowd of over 10,000 miners gathered at Bakery Hill, directly opposite the government

encampment. The diggers formed the Ballarat Reform League and proposed a series of changes to the political system. Why do you think the charter wanted

manhood suffrage and short duration of parliament?

In November 1854, the Ballarat Reform League was formed and several thousand miners adopted a program of radical reform to bring change on the goldfields and to claim political rights. Relations between the miners and the government continued to deteriorate and at the end of November, under the leadership of Peter Lalor, they unfurled the Southern Cross Flag and swore to defend

their rights and liberties. What does the Eureka flag stand for today?

Image retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_Flag

Early on Sunday 3rd December 1854 a battle took place at Ballarat between miners and government troops at

the Eureka Stockade. Approximately 30 miners and five soldiers died in the fighting and Peter Lalor was

badly wounded. How has this rebellion become a symbol of democratic protest and a milestone in the

political history of the colony of Victoria?

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Thirteen miners were brought to trial accused of high treason. However, as popular opinion labelled the men as heroes the juries refused to convict them. Governor Hotham set up a Royal commission that looked at the reasons for the rebellion and eventually abolished the licence, replacing it with a Miner’s Right. This fee cost

one pound a year and gave the miners the right to mine gold and entitled its bearer to a vote in

parliamentary elections.

Image retreieved from

Image retrieved from http://www.hereticpress.com/Tuohy.html

The Eureka Rebellion demonstrated the refusal of citizens to be dominated by unfair government and laws.

It was an important step in the establishment of democratic principles including 'taxation with

representation' and the right of each person to have a say in how they are governed.

Why are our rights and freedoms granted to us by our Constitutions so important?

Image retrieved fromhttp://www.monash.edu.au/news/show/interpreting-the-constitution

The themes underlying the discontent on the Ballarat Goldfields still carry meaning in

contemporary Australia; issues of freedom, human rights, democracy and national identity. In 2012 Australia commemorates and celebrates the 158th anniversary of Eureka and its legacy

the Australian spirit.

Why is it important to understand and conserve our cultural heritage?

Image retrieved from http://eurekaballarat.com/eureka/eureka-precinct.aspx

http://www.aec.gov.au/elections/australian_electoral_history/Reform_present.htm

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http

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Year 5 – The impact of significant development or event on a colony; for example, frontier conflict, the gold rushes, the Eureka Stockade, internal exploration, the advent of rail, the expansion of farming, drought. (ACHHK095)

The following websites were used in the creation of this WebStory:

Year 5 – The impact of significant development or event on a colony; for example, frontier conflict, the gold rushes, the Eureka Stockade, internal exploration, the advent of rail, the expansion of farming, drought. (ACHHK095)

The following websites were used in the creation of this WebStory:

http://familymatters.blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/2010/10/26/did-you-ancestor-sign-the-bendigo-gold

fields-petition/

http://www.hereticpress.com/Dogstar/History/Bentley.html

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http://www.monash.edu.au/news/show/interpreting-the-constitution

http://www.monstermeeting.net/archives/the-diggers-flag/

http://www.monstermeeting.net/information/

http://www.peo.gov.au/kidsview/menu.html

http://prov.vic.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/eureka-on-trial/murder-of-james-scobie

http://www.sbs.com.au/gold/story.php?topicid=5

http://www.sbs.com.au/gold/story.php?storyid=124

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eureka_Flag

http://wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php/File:Gold_license.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kry-xiVYMJc&feature=related