Victorian Goldrush of the 1850′s
The Gold Rush of the 1850′s brought miners to the area from all over the world. In just eight years from 1850 to 1858, the male population of Victoria–which was double the female population–increased from 41,000 to 250,000 and over half were engaged in mining.
There were 40,000 Chinese on the Victorian diggings and on our property you can see evidence of their market gardens which supplied the miners. Ruins of miners’ huts remain, as do water-races built to divert creeks to wash the gold. Gold brought wealth and between 1851 and 1868, almost 37 million ounces of gold were exported from Central Victoria.
Before the discovery of gold, the land west of Porcupine Ridge was settled by Captain James Hepburn, an Englishman who arrived from Sydney in the late 1830′s. About the same time, Warren Hastings of Worcestershire in England settled south of Porcupine Ridge and the town of Daylesford was the name of his home in Worcestershire.
Unlike many other goldfields, there is little doubt about the discovery of the goldfields of the Hepburn region. James Egan, a local squatter, is credited with the first finds of gold. He later received a reward for his discovery made in August, 1851. Prior to this he prospected with little success around what is now Eganstown, west of Daylesford, about the time of James Esmond’s third hand gold discovery at Clunes.
The discovery of gold in Victoria’s central region over 150 years ago has left a rich and lasting legacy in almost every town in the Goldfields.
Tour the impressive Victorian streetscapes of Bendigo and Ballarat with their grand hotels and public buildings, or explore the delightful villages such as Maldon, Castlemaine, Heathcote and Dunolly.
Gold fever hits
Fuelled by extravagant stories of wealth gained at the 1849 Californian gold rush, gold fever hit Victoria following the early gold discoveries in and around Clunes, Warrandyte and Ballarat. But the real rush began with the discovery of the Mount Alexander goldfield 60 kilometres north-east of Ballarat.
Mt Alexander (taking in the goldfields of Castlemaine and Bendigo) was one of the world’s richest shallow alluvial goldfields, yielding around four million ounces of gold, most of which was found in the first two years of the rush and within five metres of the surface. When eight tonnes of Victorian gold arrived at London’s port in April 1852, the Times of London declared: ‘.. this is California all over again, but, it would appear, California on a larger scale…’
Nuggets of the stuff
Mt Alexander goldfield’s largest nugget was found in 1855 at Golden Gully by some inexperienced miners who had been sent to a ‘duffer’ or empty claim. On just their second day digging they discovered the 1008 ounce, ‘damper-shaped’ nugget and named it in honour of the area’s popular gold commissioner, Mr Heron.
The small town of Moliagul became famous when a 69-kilogram gold nugget was found in 1869 at Bulldog Gully. Dubbed ‘Welcome Stranger’, the nugget was the largest in the world, though it was soon broken into pieces as the district lacked scales big enough to weigh the 60 by 30 centimetre nugget. Today the nugget would be worth over one million dollars.
Population boom
By the end of 1852, 90,000 newcomers had flocked to Victoria in search of gold. Provincial cities like Ballarat and Bendigo grew, bringing railways, roads, libraries, theatres, art galleries, and stock exchanges.
In the 1850s the heaviest traffic in Australia was on the road from Melbourne to Bendigo, and by the 1880s, Melbourne was christened ‘Marvellous Melbourne’ – one of the world’s biggest, booming, and cosmopolitan cities of the era.
In the galleries
The region is an arts and cultural haven boasting outstanding galleries. See superb collections of local and European painting at two of Australia’s finest regional galleries – the Art Gallery of Ballarat and Bendigo Art Gallery, or visit one of the smaller private galleries and artist studios.
History and heritage
Learn about gold rush history at one of the region’s historic attractions. Sovereign Hill, The Eureka Centre and the Central Deborah Gold Mine all offer a fascinating insight into life above and below the ground during the 1850s and 1860s.
The gold diggings are the centre point of the complex, featuring a winding creek in which visitors are able to pan for real gold. This area is surrounded by tents and buildings contemporary to the early years of the gold rush. There are two mines which have guided tours at regular intervals.
Food, wine and fresh produce
Take a break from exploring the Goldfields at a stylish local cafe or restaurant. Restaurants make the most of the fine produce of the region, and you can also sample the local wines, olives, apples, cheeses and more, direct from the farm gate or cellar door.
Out and about
Enjoy the outdoors along the 190 kilometre Goldfields Track or wander around a stately garden, many dating back to the 1860s.
The Victorian gold rushes of the 1850s and 60s have left a lasting and vivid legacy throughout the region.
Paved with gold
See the magnificent architecture that gold built in Ballarat and Bendigo, or stroll some of the country’s finest examples of Victorian streetscapes in Maldon, Dunolly or Clunes.
Looking back
Learn more about the gold rush at one of the region’s museums and historic attractions, or make your own discovery at the Mt Alexander Diggings, the site of the world’s greatest shallow alluvial gold rush.
Follow the Gold Trail Around the Macedon Ranges
Ballarat
Ballarat has enjoyed a rich and prosperous heritage thanks to the gold rush which began in 1851. News that the Ballarat region was home to the richest alluvial goldfield in the world resulted in a population explosion as people came from all over the world seeking fortune. By 1855, Ballarat had grown to a city with a population of 100,000 people. The city retains much of its rich gold heritage in the form of opulent buildings, fountains, and tourist attractions which celebrate the city’s history.
- Sovereign Hill
Sovereign Hill is an open air museum that depicts Ballarat’s first ten years after the discovery of gold in 1851 and comprises over 60 historically recreated buildings, with costumed volunteers. The gold diggings are the centre point of the complex, featuring a winding creek in which visitors are able to pan for real gold. This area is surrounded by tents and buildings contemporary to the early years of the gold rush. There are two mines which have guided tours at regular intervals. It also features steam-driven machinery for pumping water and processing the ore. - Gold Museum
The Gold Museum houses an extensive and valuable collection of gold nuggets, alluvial deposits, gold ornaments and coins, featuring the renowned Jessica and Paul Simon collection of gold coins. - Ballarat Heritage Walking Trails
A series of three heritage walking trails start in the heart of the city at the Ballarat Visitor Information Centre and highlight the city’s mining heritage.
Walking trails brochure
Creswick
A number of historic buildings which serve as a reminder of the town’s gold mining history line the streets of Creswick which was built on the proceeds of rich gold deposits mined from the 1850s.
Creswick Museum
Creswick Museum is housed in the former Municipal Offices of the Shire of Creswick, situated in the Town Hall complex. Creswick is the location of the New Australasian No. 2 Mining Disaster which occurred in 1882 with the loss of 22 miners. Family or mining history research can be undertaken during Museum opening times.- Berry Deep Leads
Between 1872 and 1900, more than 30 companies worked Victoria’s richest deep alluvial gold lead system which runs between Creswick and Smeaton to the north. They produced about 1.7 million oz of gold and have left a distinctive landscape of large mullock dumps. Two Cornish enginehouses used to pump water from the workings can be seen from the road about 3km west of Smeaton.
Castlemaine
At the peak of the gold rush in the 1850s, Castlemaine was home to almost 30,000 miners and was considered to be the richest goldfield in the world. Castlemaine’s historic streetscapes are a reminder of its immensely rich gold mining days, with many magnificent public buildings.
The Gold Rush to Mt Alexander Drive Tour
The Mt Alexander goldfield opened up in November 1851, and is generally credited with triggering one of the greatest mass migrations in history. This drive tour of three hours starts and finishes at the Castlemaine Market Building and takes in 16 authentic sites associated with the rush. Download the brochure (5MB) or audio files for your ipod (135 MB) from the website.
Castlemaine Town Tour
This short one hour walk around Castleimaine is a great way to see the town and learn about its fascinating history. Download the brochure (7MB) or audio files for your ipod (74MB) from the website.- Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park
The Castlemaine Diggings National Heritage Park stretches from north of Chewton, south through the Fryerstown and Vaughan Springs areas. From 1851 to 1854, this area was the world’s richest shallow alluvial goldfield and home to tens of thousands of migrant gold seekers. The Reserve contains the remains of the mines and gullies which yielded fortunes and retains much of its gold rush character. Relics of former mining activities scattered throughout the park include old shafts, tunnels and open cut mines, water races, building ruins, machinery foundations and abandoned machinery.
Park brochure
Features of the Park include:
Garfield Water Wheel
The remains of the Garfield Water Wheel stone abutments stand in the bush just north of Chewton. The 24m diameter wheel was erected in 1887 and drove a 23 head quartz stamp battery until 1904, when steam took over. A walking trail explains the links between the mine, the stamping battery and the water wheel.
Spring Gully Walk
Contains six quartz reef mines, one of Victoria’s most intact collections with well preserved machinery foundations and mullock heaps. The mines worked from the mid-1850s to the late 1930s.
Eureka Reef Walk (pod tour)
This site boasts some of the earliest quartz mining relicts in Victoria including an exposed reef, foundations of Cornish stamp batteries and a mining village. These can be explored on a short 1.8km walk.
Download the brochure (6MB) or audio files for your ipod (55 MB). 
Forest Creek Historic Gold Diggings
Forest Creek Historic Gold diggings is situated mid-way between Castlemaine and Chewton. A 400m interpretive walk allows you to discover how miners won alluvial gold from Forest Creek.
Maldon
Maldon proved to be one of Victoria’s richest quartz-mining centres, though with poorer alluvial results than others such as Castlemaine or Ballarat. In all, over seventy reefs were proven to contain gold deposits. Maldon was undoubtedly a poor man’s diggings, with many excellent yields from very small claims. Maldon has been perfectly preserved since its mining days and is Australia’s First Notable Town – classified by the National Trust in 1966.
- Maldon Historic Reserve
This Reserve which surrounds Maldon was established to protect relics from the gold mining era that gave birth to the township – abandoned shafts and tunnels, mullock heap, quartz roasting kilns, stone walls, chimneys and machinery. Alluvial gold was discovered in the Maldon area in 1853 resulting in a rush of 20,000 diggers. After the initial rush, companies mined the rich quartz reefs. Reserve brochure
Features of the Park include:
Mount Alexander Diggings Trail
Traces of abandoned mines, with names like Beehive, Derby Hill, New Chum, Lady Darling and South German, can be discovered scattered amongst the mullock and tailings heaps within easy walking distance of the township
North British Mine Walk
Just 2 km south of Maldon, on Parkin’s Reef Road, are the ruins of the North British Mine, one of Victoria’s most intact collections of gold recovery equipment in Victoria. The remains of stamping batteries and kilns used for roasting the crushed quartz to extract the gold can be seen.
Carman’s Tunnel
Located opposite the North British Mine, Carman’s Tunnel is 570 metres long and features displays of gold mining techniques used by miners during the 1880s. Tours are conducted on weekends and public holidays. Brochure
Parkins Reef Walk
The original mining landscape of mining holes and puddling machines from surface alluvial mining can be seen on this walk which starts at the North British Mine.
Bendigo
Bendigo has a rich and prosperous heritage dating back to the days when gold was discovered in the area in the 1850s. Since then, Bendigo has been the second highest producing goldfield in Australia and remains the seventh largest in the world. Bendigo’s rich gold history has produced a city of unparalleled opulence and grandeur. Stunning architecture and manicured gardens are all symbolic of Bendigo.
- Bendigo City Walk Tour
The grandeur of Bendigo’s historic buildings is testimony to the incredible wealth found in Bendigo’s quartz reefs, which stretched 3,600 hectares underground. That wealth funded major periods of building activity in the 1880s and 1890s and resulted in fine public buildings which can be seen on this 2km walk which takes two hours. Download the brochure (5MB) or audio files for your ipod (77MB) from the website. - Victoria Hill Historic Mining Reserve
The story of quartz mining on Victoria Hill lies at the heart of Bendigo’s historical status as the world’s richest and deepest reefing field. Gold was discovered on Victoria Hill in 1854, and by early 1855 claims had been taken up over its entire extent. The mines worked until 1954 and produced over 22 million ounces of gold. The Reserve features a self-guided walking trail with interpretive signs which passes various mining features including the poppet head tower providing spectacular views over Bendigo, open cuts and crushing machinery. - Central Deborah Gold Mine
When gold was first discovered in Bendigo in 1851 it sparked decades of gold mining worth billions of dollars. Central Deborah Mine was one of the last two commercial mines to cease operation in the wealthy Bendigo goldfields, operating for just 15 years between 1939 and 1954 producing 29,865 ounces of gold. The Mine features an underground tour which descends 61m below the surface and a longer adventure tour which uses ladders to reach a depth of 85m.
Maps of Daylesford Region Goldfields
Metal detecting map with notes covering the Yandoit – Daylesford goldfield area. Features include gold diggings, deep leads, surfacing, significant nugget finds, roads, tracks, watercourses, state forest, part of Hepburn Regional Park. Coverage extends from Daylesford north to Yandoit.
Daylesford & District Historical Society Inc.
The Collection is one of the largest local history collections in rural Australia. It is housed in the former School of Mines-Technical High School. The display collection has been donated over many years by local people and by descendants of the early settlers. The Society has also vigorously collected archival material and photographs relevant to the history and development of the district.
The Daylesford & District Historical Society was formed in 1964 and the Museum established in 1971.
The Museum has approximately 800 square metres of interior displays and approximately 250 square metres of covered yard and houses an large collection of local memorabilia and artefacts. The museum has extensive archival resources that are accessible by arrangement for research to researchers and genealogists.
The Daylesford & District Historical Society has numerous links on their website to other valued records and regional sites. Visit them at 100 Vincent St
Daylesford 3460 ( 3 Doors down from the Post Office)
Open: 1:30pm to 4:30 pm – Weekends, School Holidays, Public Holidays or by appointment. Entry Fees: Adults – $3.00 & Children – $1.00
Tel: 5348 1453
Fax: 5348 4712
Email: history.daylesford@hotmail.com
