When did the Australian gold rush start?

Answer 1

The gold rush in Australia started in 1851. It began tentatively with the first strike of payable gold near Ophir in NSW.

Less than three months after gold was "officially" discovered at Ophir in 1851, Victoria had its first gold strike at Sovereign Hill near Ballarat, in the same month it gained its independence from the NSW colony. While the Ballarat goldfields were rich and promising, the real goldrush began when gold was discovered at Mt Alexander, 60km northeast of Ballarat, and close to the town of Bendigo, in August 1851.

Answer 2

The first of the Australian gold rushes began following the May 1851 announcement of the discovery of payable gold at Summerhill Creek near Bathurst, New South Wales. However, the goldrushes really gained momentum with the Victorian gold rush which began in August 1851.