Life In The Goldfields
Different Types Of Mining
Mining techniques can be divided into two common ways. There is surface mining and sub-surface mining (underground mining). Today, surface mining is much more common, and produces 85% of minerals (petroleum and natural gas).
The Chinese On The Goldfields
It is believed about 7000 Chinese worked in the Araluen gold fields in Southern NSW.
Australia's first became multi-cultural during the gold rush period with mass international immigration to Australia. The lure of the gold however, often took a personal fee on individuals of all persuasions, particularly those who don't speak English.
Tools Used In Mining
The tools that were used to mine gold during the gold rush are: pan, cradle, puddling, shaft mining, miners pick and shovel. Each of these tools have different techniques.
Panning
Women On The Goldfields
Women worked from daylight to dark. A typical day for women in an Australian village in the 1850s gold rush days, would be to rise or before dawn and re-stroke the fire, using bellows coax embers back to life.Depending on the day, routine would then be to do the weekly wash, the ironing, grinding of grain, working in the veggie patch and so on entail dark.