Life On The Goldfields
By Allysha Carey
Intro
In 1851, the gold rush in Bathurst began. Life on the goldfields was harsh and tough for everyone. Many tried to get rich quick and died. Others struck rich and left the goldfields to spend their new found wealth on alcohol and unnecessary items. Let's go back in time to find out what happened
The Different Types Of Mining
There are many different types of mining for gold. One way was shaft mining. When gold became rare on the surface of the earth, the miners started to dig holes deep into the ground or making shafts. Another way is gold panning to find alluvial gold. Miners used a gold pan to take a pan full of dirt and gravel.
The Tools Used In Gold Mining
A collection of tools were used to find gold. A cradle is one of the tools. It's real name is the Californian Rocking Cradle. A gold pan is another. A gold pan is another one. Dirt and gravel would be shoveled into the pan. The pan would be lowered into the water and swished around
Life On The Goldfields
Life on the goldfields was harsh and tough. A family's diet consisted of mutton, damper (which is made from flour and water) and tea. Many people were sick and many died. Food was rationed and baths full of water were cloudy, muddy and full of dirt.
The Chinese On The Goldfields
Chinese people came in flocks to the goldfields to find their riches. It is believed that about 7000 Chinese worked in the Araluen goldfields in Southern NSW. At Lambing Flats, the Chinese were attacked and some brutally murdered.
Women On The Goldfields
Women were not digging, they were building houses, making meals and doing housework. When all the servants left the rich and wealthy to mine, they had to do all their own house work