Timeline of the Eureka Rebellion facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the Eureka Rebellion, a famous event in Australian history. It was a time when gold miners stood up for their rights.

The Start of the Gold Rush and New Rules (1851)

• 1 July 1851: The area known as the Port Phillip District became its own British colony, called Victoria. It was no longer part of New South Wales.
• 8 August 1851: Gold was found near Buninyong in central Victoria by Mr Thomas Hiscock. This news was shared in the Geelong Advertiser newspaper.
• 16 August 1851: The leader of the colony, Lieutenant Governor Charles Joseph Latrobe, announced a new rule. Gold miners would have to pay a fee of 30 shillings each month for a mining licence, starting September 1.
• 26 August 1851: About 40 to 50 people protested against this new mining fee in Buninyong.
• 19-20 September 1851: Miners in places like Ballarat were unhappy about the new tax. However, most miners followed the rules, even though some wanted to protest more strongly.
• 1 December 1851: The licence fee was going to be raised from one pound to three pounds a month, starting January 1, 1852.
• 8 December 1851: A banner protesting the mining tax was displayed in Forrest Creek.
• 13 December 1851: After many complaints, especially in Melbourne and Geelong, the planned increase in the mining tax was cancelled.
• 15 December 1851: A huge meeting called "The Great Meeting of Diggers" happened in Bendigo. Up to 14,000 miners showed up to demand that the mining tax be removed.

Growing Unrest and Calls for Change (1852-1853)

Early Discoveries and Community Efforts (1852)

• 14 August 1852: A disagreement over land rights happened among 150 men in Bendigo. Officials suggested more police were needed in mining areas. Around this time, the first gold was found at the Eureka area in Ballarat.
• 2 September 1852: People in Bendigo sent a request to Governor La Trobe. They asked for better roads from Melbourne.
• 2 October 1852: Miners near Bendigo tried to deal with rising crime. They formed a "Mutual Protection Association." They promised not to pay the licence fee. They also planned to build places to hold suspected criminals.
• 23 October 1852: Governor La Trobe received another request. This one was from miners in Lever Flat, Forrest Creek, and Mount Alexander. They asked for more police as the gold rush continued to put a strain on the colony.
• 25 November 1852: A police officer was attacked by a group of miners in Bendigo. The miners wrongly thought they had to pay for a whole month's licence, even if they only mined for seven days.

Protests and Petitions for Rights (1853)

• 3 February 1853: A police officer accidentally caused the death of Mr William Guest. About a thousand angry miners gathered at Reid's Creek. Assistant commissioner James Clow promised an investigation to calm the situation. The miners took some weapons and destroyed some supplies.
• 11 February 1853: George Black and Dr John Owens led a public meeting. They protested that William Guest's death had not been fully investigated.
• 2 April 1853: Black and Owens spoke again at a meeting of 800 people. They supported "Chartism," a movement for more rights for ordinary people.
• 6 June 1853: The "anti-gold licence association" was created in Bendigo. They started a petition that got 23,000 signatures. 8,000 of these were from miners in McIvor.
• 22 June 1853: Miners asked Governor La Trobe to make it easier to get land near the goldfields in Bendigo.
• 2 July 1853: Police were attacked with rocks during an anti-licence meeting in Bendigo. The "Red Ribbon Movement" encouraged supporters to pay only 10 shillings for their licence. So many protesters were arrested that it caused problems for the government.
• 16 July 1853: A protest against the licence fee in Sandhurst attracted 6,000 people. They also talked about not having the right to vote. William Wright, a goldfields official, suggested replacing the licence fee with a tax on gold that was exported.
• 3 August 1853: Delegates Brown, Jones, and Thomson presented the Bendigo petition to Governor La Trobe.
• 12 August 1853: The Bendigo miners' flag was shown at a rally. Between 4,000 and 12,000 people gathered. They saw many different flags from various countries and heard reports from a group that met with La Trobe.
• 18 August 1853: James Clow, an official in Ballarat, reported that speeches from Sandhurst miners did not get much support in Canadian Gully and Eureka.
• 20 August 1853: About 500-600 angry miners were gathering near the government camp in Waranga. The authorities released some miners who had not paid their licences, using a legal reason. A meeting in Beechworth called for the licence fee to be 10 shillings and for miners to have voting rights. La Trobe did not respond to the miners' requests from July.
• 21 August 1853: A crowd of 20,000 people gathered at Hospital Hill. They decided to support a mining tax of 10 shillings per month.
• 22 August 1853: At a Red Ribbon meeting in Waranga, people decided to ask the governor to set the licence renewal fee at 10 shillings.
• 27 August 1853: Another large gathering was held at View Point. A protest in Castlemaine attracted 300 people. The Red Ribbon movement grew, with miners wearing red ribbons in their hats as a symbol of protest.
• 28 August 1853: In Sandhurst, about 2,000 miners marched past the government camp with music and shouting.
• 29 August 1853: Assistant commissioner Robert Rede suggested a peaceful solution was still possible. In Ballarat, activists offered to protect gold reserves from a rumored robbery.
• 30 August 1853: The Anti Gold Licence Society met at Jones Creek.
• 6 September 1853: Goldfields activists spoke to the legislative council in Melbourne.
• 24 September 1853: A new law was passed to better manage the goldfields. It reduced the licence fee to 40 shillings for three months. Miners had to carry their permits at all times. This reduction made miners happier for a while. Later, a proposal suggested different fees and more voting and land rights for miners. La Trobe changed the plan, making some fees higher.
• 3 December 1853: Between 2,000 and 3,000 people attended an anti-licence rally in Sandhurst, Bendigo.
• 9-10 December 1853: Disagreements happened among English and Irish miners at the Eureka gold reef. On December 27, several people were injured by gunfire after another large fight.
• 31 December 1853: About 500 people in Sandhurst elected a "Diggers Congress."

Heightened Tensions and the Eureka Stockade (1854)

Rising Discontent and Key Events (1854)

• 13 March 1854: More tensions arose after another disagreement between English and Irish miners at Eureka.
• 20 March 1854: A fight involving knives and guns happened in the Chinese area of Eureka, injuring many.
• March 1854: A bill to give voting rights to miners with 12-month licences was sent to London for approval.
• 28 March 1854: Britain and France declared war on Russia, starting the Crimean War.
• 6 May 1854: John Forster became the temporary Lieutenant Governor as La Trobe left Victoria for England.
• 16 May 1854: Robert Rede was suggested as the next gold commissioner for Ballarat. He took over in June.
• 22 June 1854: Sir Charles Hotham became the new lieutenant governor of Victoria. Miners hoped he would help, as the colony's money problems continued.
• 5 July 1854: Rede described the Eureka area as the most crowded and least lawful part of Ballarat. He asked for more hospital funding.
• 22 July 1854: Hotham asked officials for ideas on how to improve the colony's financial situation.
• 16 August 1854: An American man named Clarke accidentally killed the owner of the Albion Hotel during a card game.
• 26 August 1854: Lieutenant Governor Hotham and his wife were welcomed in Ballarat. Many still hoped for a peaceful solution. About 1,500 people gathered to protest the mining tax and gold officials.
• 13 September 1854: Hotham ordered licence checks twice a week because the colony's budget was in trouble.
• 17 September 1854: Frank Cary, an American restaurant owner, was imprisoned. There were claims that a disliked police officer, Sergeant Major Robert Milne, had falsely accused him.
• 3 October 1854: Rede reported on vigilante punishments in Fiery Creek. He suggested more police after a man was whipped for suspected theft.
• 7 October 1854: James Scobie was killed outside the Eureka Hotel around 1 am. An investigation later that day found no reliable proof against the owner, James Bently. Rede reported that more frequent licence checks would only cause more unhappiness.
• 9 October 1854: Rede ordered that all future public meetings of protesters would be recorded by a magistrate and two agents.
• 10 October 1854: A disabled servant of Father Smyth was treated roughly by police for not having a licence.
• 12 October 1854: An investigation found no evidence that the Bently Hotel owners were responsible for Scobie's death. There were claims that the magistrate had a conflict of interest because he was friends with Bently.
• 16 October 1854: Robbers with covered faces robbed the Bank of Victoria in Ballarat.
• 17 October 1854: Peter Lalor helped organize a large meeting to ask for a new investigation into James Scobie's death. About 10,000 people attended. The meeting ended with the Eureka Hotel being set on fire.
• 19 October 1854: More police arrived, followed by soldiers a few days later.
• 21 October 1854: Andrew McIntyre and Thomas Fletcher were arrested for setting fire to the Eureka Hotel. A third man, Westerby, was also accused. Miners agreed to help pay for their bail.
• 22 October 1854: A large meeting of mostly Catholic miners protested how Father Smyth’s servant was treated. They decided to send Timothy Hayes to meet with Commissioner Rede. They learned that Constable Lord was dismissed, but Assistant Commissioner Johnstone, who was also disliked, would stay. Later, 10,000-15,000 people gathered. They decided to raise money for the legal defense of McIntyre and Fletcher. They also criticized local officials for the hotel fire. That evening, reports said more miners were moving towards the government outpost.
• 23 October 1854: A group was sent to Rede to ask for the police officers involved in the arrest of Father Smyth’s servant to be dismissed.
• 25 October 1854: Another meeting of mostly Roman Catholics took place. They heard about the meeting with Commissioner Rede. They decided to ask Governor Hotham for a new trial for Gregorius (Father Smyth's servant) and for Assistant Commissioner Johnston to be removed from Ballarat.
• 27 October 1854: Captain Thomas made plans for defending the government outpost in case of conflict.
• 28 October 1854: Rede reported that Westerby was going to trial for being a main leader in the hotel burning.
• 30 October 1854: Hotham appointed a group to investigate James Scobie's death. They would meet in Ballarat in November. Hotham also released James Tarleton after a request from the US consul.
• 1 November 1854: At a meeting of 5,000 miners in Bendigo, a plan was made to organize miners in all goldfields. Speakers openly talked about using force.
• 10 November 1854: The Ballarat Reform League presented a statement to the investigation committee. The report blamed the authorities for the unrest in Ballarat. It recommended the immediate dismissal of Magistrate Dewes and Sergeant Major Milne.
• 11 November 1854: The Ballarat Reform League was officially formed at a public meeting of up to 10,000 people on Bakery Hill. Their goals included voting rights, ending all mining and trading licences, and closing the gold commission.
• 16 November 1854: Hotham told England he planned to investigate miners' complaints. He had already said he was against replacing the mining tax with an export tax on gold.
• 18 November 1854: James Bently, Thomas Farrell, and William Hance were found responsible for James Scobie's death and sentenced to three years of hard labor. Catherine Bently was found not responsible.
• 20 November 1854: Westerby, Fletcher, and McIntyre were found responsible for burning the Eureka Hotel. They were sentenced to jail terms of six, four, and three months. The jury suggested they be shown mercy and said local authorities were responsible for the property loss.
• 25 November 1854: Commissioner Rede received information that the government camp might be in danger if the convicted men were not released.
• 27 November 1854: A group from the Ballarat Reform League met with Hotham and other officials. They asked for the release of the three men involved in the Eureka Hotel fire. Hotham refused, saying he did not like their "demand." Father Smyth secretly told Commissioner Rede that the government camp was in danger and that protesters could get 1,000 rifles.
• 28 November 1854: More British soldiers arrived to strengthen the town's defenses. As they moved near where the Eureka Stockade would be built, their convoy was robbed. A drummer boy and others were attacked.
• 29 November 1854: A huge meeting took place on Bakery Hill with over 10,000 supporters. They learned that the three convicted men would stay in jail. Humffray continued to argue for peaceful resistance. However, with the Eureka flag appearing for the first time, the calls for peace were ignored by many. It is said that Fredrick Vern encouraged miners to burn their mining permits on a bonfire.
• 30 November 1854: Rede ordered a licence check, which miners strongly resisted by throwing rocks. Rede then read the riot act. Miners began refusing to show their licences. Government forces fired a warning shot, and some miners were arrested. Under leaders like Lalor, Ross, Vern, and Carboni, about 1,000 men began building a simple fort with spikes and overturned carts. In the afternoon, mining stopped. Lalor, a key leader, spoke and declared liberty. According to Hotham, "the Australian flag of independence was solemnly consecrated and vows proffered for its defence." Rede received information that the outpost might be attacked the next day. Captain Pasley also feared violence and asked for more men and cannons.
• 1 December 1854: At 4 am, rebels were seen gathering on Bakery Hill, but a government group found the area empty. Rede again ordered the riot act read to a crowd near Bath's Hotel, and police broke up the gathering. The rebels continued to strengthen their position. 300-400 men arrived from Creswick Creek to join them. Feeding and housing this group put a strain on the stockade's supplies. Major General Sir Robert Nickle left Melbourne for Ballarat with 800 men. Raffaello Carboni, George Black, and Father Smyth met with Commissioner Rede to offer a peace plan. Rede was suspicious and rejected the proposals.
• 2 December 1854: Father Smyth asked Catholics to put down their weapons and attend church the next day. Near the Eureka Stockade, Assistant Commissioner Gilbert Amos had his horse taken and was held briefly. The Independent Californian Rangers arrived at the stockade. Their leader, James McGill, later took most of his group to intercept rumored British reinforcements. A meeting of about 600 people in Sandhurst heard about the events in Ballarat. A local speaker called for miners to wear red ribbons to show support for the Eureka rebels.

The Battle and Its Aftermath (1854)

• 3 December 1854: The Battle of the Eureka Stockade happened in Ballarat. 276 soldiers and police attacked the rebel position at 3:30 am. The rebels had 120-200 armed fighters. The siege lasted 15 minutes. About 30 rebels and non-fighters were killed. Four soldiers also died. About 120 prisoners were taken to the government camp.
• 4 December 1854: The first newspaper report of the battle appeared in The Argus. It mentioned that two rebel flags were captured. A state of emergency was declared in Ballarat. The editor of the Ballarat Times, Henry Seekamp, was arrested for writing things that encouraged rebellion.
• 5 December 1854: Major General Nickle joined the government camp in Ballarat. A public meeting in Melbourne, called to support Hotham, instead criticized the police action and was quickly ended.
• 6 December 1854: Hearings for the rebel prisoners began in Ballarat. A 6,000-person gathering at Saint Paul’s Cathedral disapproved of the government's actions. Similar meetings were held around the colony.
• 8 December 1854: Thirteen accused rebel prisoners were charged with serious wrongdoing against the government.
• 9 December 1854: The state of emergency was ended. Crowds of 600 and 2,000 people attended meetings in Sandhurst and Castlemaine. They protested against the government over the Eureka events and asked for the mining tax to be removed.
• 11 December 1854: John Forster, the colonial secretary, resigned. An investigation into the death of Henty Powell found that he was an innocent bystander when he was shot.
• 14 December 1854: The Gold Fields Commission met for the first time. Miners were allowed to have representatives at all hearings.
• 16 December 1854: After threats against police officers, Inspector Forster suggested changing all police watches in Ballarat as a safety measure.
• 23 December 1854: Hotham told the head of the gold commission that their investigation should not include the events of December 3 or claims for money.

Changes and New Beginnings (1855)

• 8 January 1855: The Gold Fields Commission met with Hotham and all agreed that the mining tax should be removed.
• 10 January 1855: Hotham refused a recommendation from the Gold Fields Commission to pardon everyone involved in the Eureka Rebellion.
• 23 January 1855: Henry Seekamp was found responsible for writing things that encouraged rebellion. On March 26, 1855, he was sentenced to six months in prison.
• 5 February 1855: A request from the Ovens goldfield was sent to Government House. It asked for the end of the current mining tax rules.
• 17 February 1855: A figure representing the Victorian Attorney-General was burned in protest. 400 people attended a gathering in Sandhurst to raise money for the legal costs of the men accused of serious wrongdoing.
• 22 February 1855: The trial of John Joseph began. He was the first rebel to face accusations of serious wrongdoing. Throughout February and March, all the accused were found not responsible.
• 24 February 1855: The new Ballarat gold commissioner, Charles Sherard, reported that political tensions had mostly calmed down in his area.
• 27 March 1855: The final report of the Royal Commission into the Victorian goldfields was given to Hotham. Key suggestions included: ending the current system, replacing the gold licence with a tax on exported gold, giving voting rights to miners with permits, and protecting workers from competition.
• 4 April 1855: At the Alma diggings, a crowd of 5,000 miners gathered, seemingly to deal with a murder suspect themselves.
• 20 April 1855: A law was approved to allow taxes on gold exported from Victoria.
• 9 May 1855: A general pardon was given to Peter Lalor and other rebels who were hiding after the Eureka Stockade.
• 12 May 1855: Another group, a "mutual protection society," formed at Alma. Its goal was to legally protect its members' lives and property.
• 22 May 1855: A new Victorian election law gave mining permit holders the right to run for and vote in elections for the legislative council.
• 29 May 1855: A similar mutual protection society was formed in Maryborough.
• 12 June 1855: A law was approved to help certain immigrants.
• 14 July 1855: Carboni was one of nine miners elected to a special local court. This court was an early way to solve mining-related problems.
• 16 July 1855: The Victorian Constitution became law in Westminster. Hotham received the Constitution Act and approval from Queen Victoria. On November 23, Hotham announced the new colonial constitution in Melbourne.
• 10 November 1855: Lalor and Humffray won seats in the Victorian Legislative Council in the general elections.
• 31 December 1855: Hotham, who had been promoted to governor, died in Melbourne after catching a cold.

See also

• Bibliography of the Eureka Rebellion