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Edward Hargraves did not specifically want to start a gold rush in Australia. He was merely responding to the government's invitation and incentives to find gold, to stem the tide of Australians leaving for the Californian goldrushes. Hargraves's reward for finding gold was to be appointed a 'Commissioner of Land', receiving a reward of £10,000 plus a life pension. Also, there was the personal motivation. Hargraves had not had much success on the California goldfields, but he knew his chances on the untapped Australian goldfields would be greater.

Hargraves had carefully studied the geology of the Bathurst area and, convinced that it was similar to that of the California goldfields, from where he had just returned, went prospecting. He asked for assistance from 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". After reporting his discovery, he was appointed a 'Commissioner of Land', receiving a reward of £10,000 plus a life pension. The New South Wales government made the official announcement of the discovery of gold on 22 May 1851.

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What year did Edward Hargraves find gold outside Bathurst?

Gold was first "officially" discovered in Australia by Edward Hargraves in February 1851, not far from Bathurst, New South Wales.


How big of an nugget did Edward Hargraves find?

Edward Hargraves did not find a nugget of any notable size. The claim to fame for Hargraves was the fact that he (or rather, two men he employed) found the first payable gold in Australia, and thus started the Australian Gold rush in 1851.


What nugget did Edward Hargraves discover?

Edward Hargraves did not find a nugget of any notable size. Hargraves was important for the fact that he (or rather, two men he employed) found the first payable gold in Australia, and thus started the Australian Gold rush in 1851.


Edward Hargraves discovered what in California?

Edward Hargraves did not discover anything in California. He was unsuccessful on the goldfields, but he did bring back to Australia knowledge of gold-bearing country and different techniques for panning, such as cradling. Hargraves was the first to find payable gold in Australia, doing so in May 1851, at Ophir, near Bathurst, NSW.


How long did it take Edward Hargraves to find gold in Australia?

Edward Hargraves, though credited with finding the first payable gold in Australia, was not the one who actually did the work and the digging. He employed John Lister to find the gold.Regardless, the time between when Hargraves returned to Australia and Lister found gold (using knowledge and technology Hargraves had brought from California) was only about one month. Hargraves returned to Australia in January 1851, and found gold with Lister's help on 12 February, although the official announcement was not made until May of that year.


What involvement did Edward Hargraves have in the gold rush era?

Edward Hargraves Involvement in the Gold Rush era is he was a gold miner and that he helped with people to find gold. People say that he was the first to find gold in Australia But some say the he was just lucky with that government to have found gold and get rewarded for it.


Did edward hargraves find gold first?

No. Many discoveries of gold had been found before Edward Hargraves found his but it was kept secret in case of chaos.


Who was with Edward Hargraves when he found gold?

Edward Hargraves was led to the right location to find gold by John Lister.


What did Paddy Hannan and Edward Hargraves do in common?

Both of these men made significant gold discoveries on opposite sides of Australia, thus starting gold rushes east and west. Edward Hargraves was the first to officially find gold in New South Wales, starting the goldrush in that state, while Paddy Hannan's find started the gold rush in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.


Why was Edward Hargraves famous?

Edward Hargraves is credited with being the first to officially find gold in Australia. He found gold at Summerhill Creek, at a place he named Ophir, near Bathurst, New South Wales. Although he was led to where gold had already been found by a man named John Lister, Lister was not given the credit.


Was John Flanagan the first person to find gold in Australia?

No.Surveyor James McBrien was the first recorded person to find gold in Australia, doing so near Bathurst, NSW in 1823.These early discoveries were kept secret for various reasons. Gold was first officially discovered in Australia in 1851, not far from Bathurst, New South Wales by Edward Hargraves.


Where was the first major gold find in Australia?

Australia's first payable gold strike was made by Edward Hargraves in 1851 when, assisted by local John Lister, he found gold in Summer Hill Creek at a place he named Ophir, near Bathurst, New South Wales.