Eureka Rebellion Research Paper

‘During the 1850’s Australia had become so prosperous that its population demanded commodities and luxuries that her own industries could not yet provide.’ The gold rushes had caused an influx in migrations on a scale previously unheard of in world history; ‘Gold fever’ had taken its grip on the colonies of Victoria and New South Wales. Although there are continuous arguments among historians that the consequences of the gold rushes have been exaggerated, especially when studying the political effects of the Eureka Rebellion, it is still clear that through the intensity of mining a significant change occurred economically, urbanely and industrially, that has benefited Australia to this day.

The primary consequence and gain of the gold
The underlying causes of the Eureka Rebellion are mostly agreed upon; there was the hated license tax and fore most, the political gulf between the authorities and the diggers. The new governor of the time, Sir Charles Hotham, out of touch with the feelings of the diggers, decided to resolve the situation of a commercial recession in government finance with tough action against illegal diggers. He ordered twice weekly hunts, instead of once monthly, for unlicensed miners and so the antagonism on the fields towards the authorities increased significantly. As hostility grew one conflict with authorities after the other became central issues and gradually drew to a head when a rowdy protest movement was pushed into a rebellion on December 3rd 1854. There was considerable life loss and disgusting behavior by the triumphant troopers and police.

When a Royal Commission condemned everything about the administration of the goldfields the discrediting of the government ensued and was never again to assert such authority. The license tax was abolished and a single warden replaced several commissioners on each field around Victoria and New South Wales. Even in the legislative council the goldfields were given eight members to represent them, opening the way for a civil government to
However, over a period of time the benefits gained during this innovative era, population boom, urbanisation and industrialisation and the political improvements did indeed have a helpful effect on the development of Australian colonies. As reported in the Quarterly Review in 1860,

‘A vast continent, long regarded only as a convict prison and an abode of one of the lowest forms of savage life, has been elevated into a social consideration almost commensurate with its geographical importance, and has become a seat of industry, progressive refinement, freedom and Christianity.’

References
• Glynn, S., Urbanisation in Australian History 1788-1900 2nd ed. (Melbourne, 1975)
• Bate, Weston., Victorian Gold Rushes (Victoria, Australia 1988)
• Diamond, D. & McLoughlin J.B., Political Economy of Australian Urbanisation. (Oxford, 1984)
• Macintyre. S., A Concise History of Australia. (Victoria, 1999)
• Butlin. N.G, Investment In Australian Economc Development. 1861–1900. (Cambridge, 1964)
• Barret, B. The Inner Suburbs. (Carlton, 1971) p. 132
• Petrow, S. Sanatorium of the South. (Hobart, 1995) p.