Eureka stockade why it happened

In response, the colonial government proposed doubling the cost of a miner's licence and the Governor of Victoria Sir Charles Hotham — ordered more frequent licence inspections.

When the three people charged with his murder were acquitted, the miners suspected bribery and marched to the hotel to burn it down. In November , the Ballarat Reform League was formed and several thousand miners adopted a program of radical reform to bring change on the goldfields and to claim political rights. Relations between the miners and the government deteriorated and at the end of November, under the leadership of Peter Lalor — , the miners unfurled the rebel Southern Cross flag and swore to defend their rights and liberties.

Early on Sunday 3 December , a battle took place at Ballarat between miners and government troops at the Eureka Stockade. About 30 miners and at least five soldiers died in the fighting. Peter Lalor was badly wounded.

Victorian Political Military. Popular articles. When the Men Came Marching Home. Several stories intertwine and involve many of the same people and places. In , people mining for gold around Victoria had to pay a monthly fee of 30 shillings for the right to mine, regardless of how much gold they found. Someone who had been looking for gold unsuccessfully for months still had to pay the same fee as someone who was pulling out gold by the pound.

Diggers argued that it was an unfair tax, imposed on them without their consent, as they did not have the right to vote. After the Goldfields Royal Commission the licensing fee was changed to a tax on gold when it was being exported. Not only did the diggers resent the licence fee, they were angry at the way the goldfields police went about checking that miners had licences. People around the Victorian goldfields were also unhappy with the lack of thoroughness with which police had investigated a number of goldfields crimes.

They were concerned about what they thought was the unfair and secretive way people were charged and convicted of crimes. There were claims by people living on the goldfields that it was necessary to bribe police and government officials in order to do business and stay safe. As the goldfields populations increased, tensions between the goldfields communities and police and other government officials rose.

A royal commission investigating the goldfields recommended that the licensing laws be replaced with a system whereby miners paid a tax on gold they found, instead of paying for the possibility of striking gold. Miners were also given the right to own the land on which they worked. Home Explore history Learn skills For teachers Search. Six of the police and troopers were killed and there were at least 22 deaths among the diggers: The most harrowing and heartrending scenes amongst the women and children I have witnessed through this dreadful morning.

The Argus , 4 December Additional resources. Links Library resources Eureka timeline, Eureka Sydney. Riot or revolution - beginnings of Eureka, Australian Screen. Riot or revolution - birth of social democracy, Australian Screen.