answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Gold was discovered in Australia as early as the 1830s, but discoveries were kept secret because there was the concern that it would cause unrest among the convicts. However, when the gold rush began in California, there was a huge rush to the American goldfields, and many men were leaving Australia. In order to prevent this trend from continuing, the authorities offered a reward to the first person to find payable gold in Australia.

Edward Hargraves had recently returned from the Californian goldfields, where he had not had any success in finding gold. He carefully studied the geology of the countryside around Bathurst and was certain that it had similar traits to that of the California goldfields. He went prospecting with the help of John Lister, a man who had already found gold in the region. Lister and his friend William Tom led Hargraves directly to where gold was found, at Summerhill Creek, at a site which Hargraves named "Ophir".

User Avatar

Wiki User

15y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

AnswerBot

1w ago

Gold was first discovered in Australia in 1851 by Edward Hargraves near Bathurst, New South Wales. He found the precious metal while prospecting in a creek, sparking a gold rush that attracted thousands of miners to the region. This discovery had a significant impact on the development of Australia's economy and population growth.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: How was gold discovered in Australia?
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp
Related questions

What was discovered in Australia in 1851?

Australia's first payable gold was officially discovered in Australia in May 1851.


What year was Gold discovered in Australia?

Gold was discovered in Australia in 1851. This event triggered a gold rush that significantly impacted the country's economy and population.


Who discovered gold in Australia in the river in 1850?

No-one is recorded as having discovered gold in the river in Australia in 1850. However, Edward Hargraves discovered gold in Summerhill Creek near Ophir in 1851, and this sparked the Australian goldrush.


When was gold discovered at Ridgeway Goldmine in NSW Australia?

Gold was discovered at Ridgeway Goldmine, near Orange, NSW in November 1996.


Who were the people who discovered gold with Hargraves?

John Lister and William Tom were with Edward Hargraves when he discovered the first payable gold in Australia.


What was discovered in 1851 which led to a rapid increase in free men immigrating to Australia?

1851 was the year that the first payable gold was discovered in Australia.


Where has gold been discovered?

Gold has been discovered in many places including lots in California, in the USA, and plenty in all the states of Australia.


What if gold was never discovered in Australia?

life would be bad not much gold rushes too


What was Australia's first gold field?

Australia's first gold field was the one where the first payable gold was discovered in 1851 - that is Ophir, at Summerhill Creek, near Bathurst in NSW.


Where are some places that gold have been discovered?

South Africa, Australia, Canada


Where did Cody Simpson live in Australia?

Cody lived on the Gold Coast in Australia and attended All Saints school before he was discovered on YouTube by Shawn Campbell


When and where was gold first discovered in South Australia?

Although there were minor reports of gold earlier, the first official, reported discovery of gold in South Australia was in January 1846, near Castambul.