Why did the Australian gold rush start?

Answer 1

The gold rush in Australia began tentatively with the first strike of payable gold near Ophir in NSW. The government had offered a reward for the discovery of payable gold, because it felt that too many people were leaving Australia for the Californian goldfields. The government sought experts who could locate gold in Australian countrysides, and offered substantial rewards for whoever found the first payable gold. Edward Hargraves used the knowledge of the countryside and his experience on the Californian goldfields to locate possible places for a gold strike. He then enlisted the help of John Lister, who is actually the one who found gold, though he remains largely uncredited.

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 Australian gold rush officially started with the gold discoveries of Edward Hargraves in 1851, near Ophir, New South Wales.

Answer 3

Because they found lots of gold