Life on the Goldfields M y T i m e i n H i s t o r y Come and share my journey

The big decision Times are tough on the land. I hear that gold has been found near Ballarat in Victoria. Times are tough on the land. I hear that gold has been found near Ballarat in Victoria. Should I take a chance to make a better life for all of us? Should I take a chance to make a better life for all of us? Do I take my family with me or go alone? Do I take my family with me or go alone? What do I need? What do I need? What will the conditions be like? What will the conditions be like? How do I feel about this? Am I doing the right thing? How do I feel about this? Am I doing the right thing? My Time in History FORAGAINST This could be my chance to strike it rich What if I dont find any gold? The money from any gold I find could help everyone in my family The living conditions will be very harsh I dont need a lot of equipment I dont really know how or where to look for gold I can be my own boss and whatever I find would be mine My children will miss out on school My family could all help and this would increase our chance to find gold If I take the family it may not be safe for them – especially the children It will be an adventure for all of us The work will be very hard and exhausting in all weather conditions Capital City – Melbourne Gold site - Ballarat

What is my life like? How would I get there? How would I get there? Where would we live? Where would we live? What equipment do I need? What equipment do I need? What about a gold licence – I dont have the money to pay for it. What will I do? What about a gold licence – I dont have the money to pay for it. What will I do? What if the troopers catch me? What if the troopers catch me? M y T i m e i n H i s t o r y

Australian Chinese Others Who came to the Goldfields? On my way to the goldfields I passed many Chinese who had come to Australia to seek their fortune. It was a wrench to leave my family at home on the farm.

Times are tough Living in a tent in cold and wet and in the blistering heat was almost unbearable. Living in a tent in cold and wet and in the blistering heat was almost unbearable. I never thought the work would be so backbreaking. I never thought the work would be so backbreaking. I wonder which method of looking for gold is the most successful? I wonder which method of looking for gold is the most successful? The licence system is unfair!! The licence system is unfair!! Sickness, accidents and disease – our health suffers. Sickness, accidents and disease – our health suffers. M y T i m e i n H i s t o r y

Law and order The police make regular checks to see if miners have licenses. They often chase us into the bush. As soon as the police are spotted, people call out, Joe! Joe! The police make regular checks to see if miners have licenses. They often chase us into the bush. As soon as the police are spotted, people call out, Joe! Joe! When diggers are caught without licences they are often tied to a tree or chained together. Some diggers run into the bush or hide down mine shafts. When diggers are caught without licences they are often tied to a tree or chained together. Some diggers run into the bush or hide down mine shafts. The miners hate the licence system. They think it is unfair that they have to pay whether they find gold or not. The miners hate the licence system. They think it is unfair that they have to pay whether they find gold or not. Diggers protests against the system are becoming more violent. Diggers protests against the system are becoming more violent. The miners think the administration of the goldfields is corrupt. The people who sell sly grog pay bribes to the police. The miners think the administration of the goldfields is corrupt. The people who sell sly grog pay bribes to the police. We want change! We want change! M y T i m e i n H i s t o r y

1854 ~ Rebellion My Time in History My friend James Scobie was murdered at the hotel. Bentley got off the charge and the miners were furious. Licences were burnt at a protest meeting. Diggers were arrested in a miners hunt. The diggers built a stockade which the police attacked at dawn. Martial law was declared. It was a frightening time with police fighting against miners. The whole event, later called the Eureka Rebellion, was investigated by a royal commission. Sounds of the battle.

Was it worth it? The miners who had been sent to trial were all acquitted. A new Miners Right was introduced. Peter Lalor, the leader of the Eureka Rebellion was elected to the Victorian parliament. The increase in population and wealth has resulted in great improvements in transport, roads, railway, agriculture and industry. Improvements to working conditions have been helped by the new trade unions established. But perhaps the most important outcome is that steps are being taken so that eventually all the states will join together as one. The move toward Federation has begun! M y T i m e i n H i s t o r y

Bibliography M y T i m e i n H i s t o r y Images and sounds used in this presentation: Microsoft Clip Art* References: Daily Life on the Goldfields – Kimberley Webber Macmillan Education 2001 Growing Up on the Goldfields - Kimberley Webber Macmillan Education 2001 Law and Order on the Goldfields - Kimberley Webber Macmillan Education 2001 Growth after Gold - Kimberley Webber Macmillan Education 2001 The Gold Rushes – Melanie Guile Heineman Library Harcourt Education 2006 Australia in History The Eureka Stockade – Geoff Hocking Waverton press 2005 © State of Victoria 2008 Janet Hayes attended an Intel Teach Essentials Course and provided the idea for this portfolio. Copyright is owned by the Crown in right of the State of Victoria. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes, subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and no commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for the purposes other than those indicated above requires the written permission of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and copyright should be addressed to the Liability Management Manager, Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2 Treasury Place, Melbourne, VIC, 3002 The State of Victoria accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of any part of this material and bears no responsibility for any modifications made. * Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.