Who discovered gold in Victoria?

Answer 1

The first gold in Victoria was found in Clunes on 11 June 1851, by James Esmond. However, on 9 August 1851, Victoria's goldrush began when gold was discovered at Mt Alexander, 60km northeast of Ballarat, and close to the town of Bendigo, in July 1851.

Answer 2

The indigenous people of Australia, known as the Aborigines, were the first to find gold, but they had no use for it.

There is much conjecture about who was the first European to find gold in Australia. It would be fair to say that perhaps we will never actually know who was the first person to find gold. However, there are some records of notable people finding gold. Surveyor James McBrien reported finding gold near Bathurst, NSW in 1823. Polish explorer Paul Strzelecki found gold near Hartley Vale in 1839. All these discoveries were kept secret, for fear of sparking off unrest among the convicts. When Reverend WB Clark found gold near Lithgow in 1941, he was requested by Governor Gipps to keep quiet about it. Gipps is reported to have said, "Put it away, Mr Clarke, or we will all have our throats cut!" In addition, land owners did not want their workers leaving in droves to find gold.

Gold was first officially discovered in Australia in 1851, not far from Bathurst, New South Wales. This was after transportation of convicts to New South Wales had ceased. Edward Hargraves had carefully studied the geology of the area and, convinced that it was similar to that of the California goldfields, from where he had just returned, went prospecting. He enlisted the assistance of John Lister, a man who had already found gold in the region. Lister led Hargraves directly to where gold was found, at Summerhill Creek, at a site which Hargraves named "Ophir". Hargraves has been credited with the discovery ever since, even though, by rights, credit should go to Lister. An enquiry in 1887 proved that John Hardmann Lister and James Tom were the first ones to find payable gold in Australia.

Answer 3

The first gold in Victoria was found in Clunes on 11 June 1851, by James Esmond. Meanwhile, at almost the same time, gold was also discovered at Anderson's Creek, near Warrandyte, by Louis Michel, a publican from Melbourne.

Answer 4

The first gold in Victoria was found in Clunes by James Esmond. He made what is believed to be the first gold discovery at Clunes on 11 June 1851. However, at almost the same time, gold was also discovered at Anderson's Creek, near Warrandyte, by Melbourne publican Louis Michel. Both Clunes and Warrandyte claim to be the first town in Victoria where gold was found.

Answer 5

The first gold in Victoria was found in Clunes on 11 June 1851, by James Esmond. However, on 9 August 1851, Victoria's goldrush began when gold was discovered at Mt Alexander, 60km northeast of Ballarat, and close to the town of Bendigo, in July 1851.

Answer 6

The first gold in Victoria was found in Clunes on 11 June 1851, by James Esmond. However, on 9 August 1851, Victoria's goldrush began when gold was discovered at Mt Alexander, 60km northeast of Ballarat, and close to the town of Bendigo, in July 1851.

Answer 7

There were many 1850s gold mining towns in Victoria. They included:

• Ballarat
• Bendigo
• Castlemaine
• Maryborough
• Maldon
• Walhalla
• Moliagul
• Clunes
• Warrandyte
• Stawell
• Mount Alexander

Answer 8

Ballarat is neither the site of the first gold found in Victoria, nor the first gold found in Australia.

Gold was first officially found in Australia at Ophir, near Bathurst, New South Wales. The first gold in Victoria was found in Clunes on 11 June 1851, by James Esmond. However, on 9 August 1851, Victoria's goldrush began when gold was discovered at Mt Alexander, 60km northeast of Ballarat, and close to the town of Bendigo, in July 1851.