Ballarat
Ballarat is a city in central Victoria, about 110 km north west of Melbourne – a
1.5 hour drive. Ballarat was first settled in 1838. Its name comes from
two Aboriginal words “Balla” “Arat” meaning resting
place.
In 1851 Ballarat was one of several townships in the area. Then alluvial gold was discovered nearby at Buninyong and some weeks later, John Dunlop and James Regan discovered a few ounces at Poverty Point in Ballarat. Thousands rushed to the area hoping to strike it rich, and Ballarat developed quickly after that. It became a town in 1852, a municipality in 1855 and a city in 1870.
In 1854 there was an armed rebellion by miners at the Eureka Stockade on the Ballarat goldfields. Rebelling against a harsh licensing system and other injustices, the miners gathered under their flag The Southern Cross. The military overran them and many were killed and wounded on both sides. Later, license fees were abolished and miners were given the right to vote.
In 1858 the “Welcome Stranger” gold nugget was found near Ballarat – the second largest gold nugget ever found in Australia. By the 1860s it became harder to find gold, although underground mining continued. Foundries and other heavy industries grew up to serve the mines and farming and food production grew. The railway came through in 1862 and opened up opportunities for trade further away. When mining finally wound down, Ballarat had many other industries and services to support it.
About 85,000 people now live in Ballarat and some of them travel to Melbourne each day for work. The city is accessible by road, rail and air and has a strong tourist industry with major attractions like Sovereign Hill mining town, Gold Museum, the Eureka Stockade centre and the annual Begonia Festival. There is also a wildlife and reptile park.
Case Notes - History of Ballarat
Case Notes - Life on the goldfields
Case Notes - Children of the goldfields
