Life on the Goldfields Life on the Goldfields

ContentsContents

People People Transport Transport HousingHousing Law and orderLaw and order ClothingClothing HealthHealth FoodFood EquipmentEquipment

PeoplePeople

On the goldfields there were On the goldfields there were ex convicts, Polish soldiers, ex convicts, Polish soldiers, Dutch sailors, English Dutch sailors, English doctors, police (troopers), Sly doctors, police (troopers), Sly grog sellers, Chinese grog sellers, Chinese labourers and native labourers and native Australians. There were also Australians. There were also countries from all over the countries from all over the world that came to the gold world that came to the gold fields like Europeans, North fields like Europeans, North America, South America, America, South America, Indians and Africans.Indians and Africans.

PeoplePeople People were very mean, People were very mean,

nasty and cruel to the nasty and cruel to the Chinese and the aboriginals Chinese and the aboriginals because they were because they were different. The white people different. The white people teased, threatened and teased, threatened and insulted different people to insulted different people to them.them.

It was terrible for the It was terrible for the children on the goldfields. children on the goldfields. Most families could not Most families could not afford to by shoes for there afford to by shoes for there kids only the rich families. kids only the rich families. Many children on the Many children on the goldfields caught sicknesses goldfields caught sicknesses because they didn’t wear because they didn’t wear proper clothes.proper clothes.

Most of the diggers on the Most of the diggers on the goldfields were English. goldfields were English.

TransportTransport

People on the Goldfields People on the Goldfields mostly traveled by foot. All mostly traveled by foot. All the poor families could only the poor families could only get to places by foot because get to places by foot because they couldn’t afford horses they couldn’t afford horses because they were very because they were very expensive. The rich families expensive. The rich families that found gold traveled by that found gold traveled by horses and carriages. Some horses and carriages. Some people came to the people came to the goldfields by donkeys or goldfields by donkeys or bullocks because they could bullocks because they could carry large amounts of carry large amounts of weight.weight.

People from other countries People from other countries came to the goldfields by came to the goldfields by ship.ship.

TransportTransport

Most of the miners Most of the miners used wheelbarrows to used wheelbarrows to transport gold to other transport gold to other destinations or to destinations or to carry their belongings carry their belongings such as tents, food such as tents, food and equipment.and equipment.

HousingHousing The housing on the goldfields The housing on the goldfields

usually was tents or huts usually was tents or huts covered by bark roofs. covered by bark roofs. Eventually there was a Eventually there was a change of housing there were change of housing there were stone buildings and bark stone buildings and bark huts. huts.

The mattresses of the miners The mattresses of the miners were stuffed with leaves. The were stuffed with leaves. The miners sat on logs and miners sat on logs and sometimes sang songs sometimes sang songs around the camp fire – there around the camp fire – there were no TVs or computer were no TVs or computer games way back then.games way back then.

The Chinese slept in tents. The Chinese slept in tents. The Chinese people had their The Chinese people had their own area to sleep and it was own area to sleep and it was usually surrounded by fences.usually surrounded by fences.

Law and OrderLaw and Order Before the gold rushes Before the gold rushes

there was only 44 there was only 44 soldiers and a handful soldiers and a handful of police to control all of police to control all the miners but in 1852 the miners but in 1852 this changed.this changed.

In 1852 each goldfield In 1852 each goldfield was run by a was run by a commissioner, clerk commissioner, clerk and inspector of and inspector of police.police.

Some areas had a Some areas had a special army or police special army or police force just in case the force just in case the miners caused trouble.miners caused trouble.

Law and OrderLaw and Order Every miner needed a Every miner needed a

licence. Miners were licence. Miners were fined the equivalent of fined the equivalent of ten dollars for not ten dollars for not having a licence, thirty having a licence, thirty dollars if caught again dollars if caught again and if caught a third and if caught a third time the miners were time the miners were fined sixty dollars.fined sixty dollars.

Much of the police force Much of the police force was made up of ex- was made up of ex- convicts from Van convicts from Van Diesman’s land Diesman’s land (Tasmania) and most of (Tasmania) and most of the police force to tried the police force to tried their luck as a miners. their luck as a miners.

ClothingClothing

Because the miners Because the miners worked for long hours their worked for long hours their clothes got really worn out.clothes got really worn out.

They really only wore They really only wore White shirts, straw hats, White shirts, straw hats, coats, gloves, and hard coats, gloves, and hard wearing pants. Some wore wearing pants. Some wore boots some wore shoes but boots some wore shoes but most of them could not most of them could not afford shoes or boots so afford shoes or boots so they had to go barefoot.they had to go barefoot.

The Chinese wore baggy The Chinese wore baggy pants and large coolie pants and large coolie

hats.hats.

HealthHealth There was little medical There was little medical

help on the goldfields so help on the goldfields so the health of the diggers the health of the diggers wasn’t very good.wasn’t very good.

Diggers didn’t shower or Diggers didn’t shower or bathe very often especially bathe very often especially in summer because the in summer because the water was very dirty.water was very dirty.

Food Food Food on the goldfields was very Food on the goldfields was very

poor and most of the people ate poor and most of the people ate damper. Damper was a food that damper. Damper was a food that miners made themselves. It is miners made themselves. It is like bread – cooked over an open like bread – cooked over an open fire.fire.

Fruit and vegetables were rare Fruit and vegetables were rare and not many people ate them and not many people ate them therefore the miners didn’t get therefore the miners didn’t get the vitamins and minerals their the vitamins and minerals their bodies neededbodies needed

The miners, diggers and panners The miners, diggers and panners had to catch their own food for had to catch their own food for example: trout, tuna, meat etc.example: trout, tuna, meat etc.

The diggers ate any type of meat The diggers ate any type of meat that they could find on the that they could find on the goldfields.goldfields.

The diggers kept there food fresh The diggers kept there food fresh by either salting the food in short by either salting the food in short time of killing. time of killing.

Alcohol was a big problem on Alcohol was a big problem on the goldfields.the goldfields.

Equipment Equipment The people on the The people on the

goldfields usually used goldfields usually used pans because they pans because they were cheap, easy to were cheap, easy to use and they were use and they were light weight. light weight.

The miners used The miners used picket axes in the picket axes in the mines to crack rock. mines to crack rock. Spades were a good Spades were a good tool to use when you tool to use when you wanted to dig for gold.wanted to dig for gold.

Mining companies Mining companies used dynamite.used dynamite.