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THE EUREKA STOCKADE PART I

© Joanna Skinner

Australians are very easy going and laidback generally. That is why we have been remarkably free of the civil wars and revolutions that have torn apart other societies. There have been uprisings on a small scale, but large in the nation's consciousness such as the Eureka Stockade on the goldfields of Victoria.

Gold was first found in Australia in 1851 in Bathurst, New South Wales. In the following months gold was found in many places in New South Wales and Victoria. News spread quickly, enticing more and more fortune hunters from around the world, from such diverse places as Ireland, China, England, Italy, Germany. People who thought at last that they would lift themselves and their children out of generations of poverty, as well as those who just had gold fever in their eyes.

Gold Fever had come to Australia. Men here and around the world threw in what employment they had, left their families behind and came to seek riches from the "yellow stuff". One of the diggings that attracted large numbers was Ballarat in the independent colony of Victoria.

Colonial governments were dismayed at the sudden influx of all sorts of people, some of whom they considered as the lowest types of humanity and were concerned for the future of society in Australia. Gold fever, drink and the anguish of those who had given up everything for the dream of riches and not found them brought out the worst in human nature. Drunkenness, prostitution, rape, frequent fights and even murder over the precious yellow metal they all craved were a normal part of life on the diggings.

Governments introduced licences for the right to dig for gold, both to try to stop the numbers coming into the goldfields and, of course, to increase government revenue. "The bloody licence tax" as it was commonly referred to by the diggers, caused unrest and anger as most did not have the money to pay for these licences.

By 1854 there was serious unrest on all the goldfields because of the licence system and the corruption involved. Bribes and friendship with authorities obtained licences for some, while others missed out. The frequent licence checks by armed police, led to arrests and fines. Unlicensed miners were chained to trees and sometimes sentenced by the magistrates to work on the new roads for the colony.

By 1854 the diggers of Bendigo, Ballarat and other diggings had many times sent large delegations to Melbourne to protest about the licences. At times it seemed the government listened, but soon changed its mind about any concessions on the licences.