OUTCOMES
CCS3.1 Explains the significance of particular people, groups, places, actions and events in the past in developing Australian identities and heritage
CCS3.2 Explains the development of the principles of Australian democracy.
CUS3.4 Explains how cultures change through interactions with other cultures and the environment
ENS3.6 Explains how various beliefs and practices influence the ways in which people interact with, change and value their environment
 

IMPORTANCE OF GOLD

What is gold? Why is it valued? How is it used?
Keep a record of the gold price each day. Graph the results to show the changes in price.
 
 

DISCOVERY OF GOLD

What was the importance of gold to ancient civilisations? Who plundered, pillaged and stole to gain their power? Who became pirates? Who mined their own? Who suffered attacks and looting? Who bought and traded? Who was forced into slavery to mine their own gold for invaders? Was recycling always a good thing? Collect the data to write your own Horrible History. Recommended reading Quest for gold.

Mark on a map of the world more recent gold rushes, noting significant towns and cities established. Add dates.

What was life like at the time of the first gold discoveries? Think about convicts, squatters, farmers, the end of transportation in 1840 ...

Gather information on people involved in the discovery of gold in Australia. Develop research questions such as Where did they find gold? What was the geographic area like? What were the weather conditions? How much gold was found? What methods were used to mine the gold? What happened to them? Why were early discoveries suppressed?

Mark on a map of Australia places associated with gold discoveries, noting towns established. What were the Aboriginal language groups in N.S.W. where gold was discovered? Add them to the map, or shade the groups affected on a map of Aboriginal groups.

Construct a timeline
1) showing 60 000 years of indigenous settlement, 1788, and dates of establishment of each settlement then colony
2)  from 1820 to 1902 showing people, places and significant events

Which of the bushrangers operated on the goldfields? Make a list, and select one to research in depth.
 
 

INFLUENCES on AUSTRALIAN IDENTITY and HERITAGE

What was the impact on Aboriginal peoples? eg loss of land, food, conflicts. What skills and assistance did they provide?

Explore the events leading up to the Eureka stockade and their significance in the development of democracy. Create a timeline for that period, showing these events.

Using statistics taken at the time, graph the increase in population for each colony. [Source tba?] Optional - add arrows to tthe world map shoing immigration.

Research the consequences of the wealth produced by gold on the different colonies

• 1. Develop a data bank.
• 2. Select one colony, then form groups to combine findings and report to the class.

• development of transport (eg roads, railways, shipping, suburban)
• construction (eg use of materials, draninage, sewerage)

Research significant goldrush towns. Why did only some endure, while others flourished, then diminished? Consider factors such as water supply, protection from weather, availability of particular resources.

Research men's, women's and children's roles, and people of different groups, status and wealth, and their

family life, family sizes educational opportunities living conditions housing work clothing  leisure entertainment

transport  chores food supplies  shopping  water supplies  waste disposal power for heating and cooking keeping clean health and medical facilities

law and order safekeeong of finds utensils eg iron, candlemaker, rabbit traps keeping clean toilets How democratic were these societies? What rights did individuals have? What roles did people play eg miners, military, police, assayers

Sketch buildings, living quarters and shops, ready to prepare one to contribute to a wall frieze of a 'street'.

Pack a bag for the goldfields. What would you have taken?

What were the procedures for staking a claim, and the rules thereafter? Find out about checks, fines, stealing, selling, gaol etc. Make a replica of a gold licence. List procedures, rules and options on the back. How long did it last? How much did it cost? Who issued the licence? How much land could a miner claim? Could they vote? Was land available to them? EXTRA: Design an improved licence.

Is it possible to find songs of the era?
 
 

INFLUENCES on ENVIRONMENT

erosion, deforestation, damming

What were some of the plants and animals introduced to Australia by Europeans?

What problems did introduced animals and plants cause?
 
 

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

What is gold? What is its chemical symbol? What unit is gold measured in? How is it formed?

List (and illustrate) some uses of gold.

Gold is measured in ‘troy ounces’. How much is a troy ounce and how did the troy ounce get its name? (*)

Keep a record of the daily price of gold

What would you be worth if you were solid gold? Use the current price of gold to do the maths.

Compile a glossary. Explain terms such as: washdirt, surface alluvial mining, reef (quartz) mining, deep lead mining, ore fools gold

Research the contraptions used to extract gold from creeks and underground. Sketch outlines on large art paper for a frieze. Find out their uses and how they operated. (eg windlass, cradle, whim, stamper battery, sluice box,. dolly pots)

Make a list of the largest nuggets found in Australia.

Find the current gold mines in Australia or New South Wales. Show them on a map. 
 
 

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS

Find out where Australia's gold is exported to. Add arrows and destinations to a world map.
 
 

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

Collect interesting snippets about gold. For instance, what was the relationship between saffron and gold in the Middle Ages? What is the connection between Ophir and the Olympics? The story of Archimedes. Proverbs.

Where can people go fossicking these days? 
 
 

LITERATURE

Search the poetry shelves and online poetry databases for poems such as Green new chum, Roaring days by Henry Lawson, Women of the west by G. Essex Evans, Pioneers by Frank Hudson, The death of Ben Hall by W.H. Ogilvie.

Read novels set in the period. eg A banner bold, Valley of heavenly gold, Golden pennies, Monkey Hill gold see list
 
 

LAB LESSONS

Bibliography practice session Part II - websites | Explore the recommended websites | Begin typing other bibliography sources

What would you be worth if you were solid gold? i.e. Find out the current price of gold and do the maths.

Which other countries had gold rushes? What famous towns sprang up as a result?

Add to a map of Australia places where gold is mined today.  (see Mineral Resources NSW)

Have a look at the Goldfields Petition. (Life on the goldfields)

Where can people go fossicking these days?

Use an image database such as Picture Australia, as well as Googling,  to find photographs, paintings and sketches of towns in 1850, then in late 8os, the goldrushes etc.

CHALLENGE: The library could order some reprints of photographs. Which photos do you suggest?

CHECK LINKS
Sovereign Hill invites students to evaluate their authority. Check it out.  [link gone]
Pack a bag for the goldfields. What would you have taken? (see Sovereign Hill Immigration guide)
 

Information literacy and skill development
DEFINING	Construct 'What I know' and 'What I would like to know' charts about gold and gold discoveries, using headings.
LOCATING	Sources of information	Brainstorm search strategy. Note relevance of primary documents: newspaper articles, photographs, paintings. Note relevance of organisations as source of info eg  State Libraries and museums for primary documents Perth Mint, for investing Dept of Mineral Resources for fossicking Goldfields - for educational material
	Using primary sources	Picture Australia try an advanced search eg gold* and ... , Mosman and 1850 browse subject Neutral Bay ..  eg 1855-65 Ben Boyd's house b1857 1870-79 Wall 80s 881898-1928 b creator eg Beaufoy, Doudiet, Stocqueler more information add to favourites Check copyright http://www.pictureaustralia.org/c_right.html Electronic books / etexts - Project Gutenberg eg Raffaello Carboni Carboni's eye-witness account of the Eureka Stockade incident has not received due recognition for its historical importance. It is the only complete first hand description and analysis of the causes of the attack on the Eureka Stockade and the main events which preceded and followed it.'
	Bibliography	Review guidelines for bibliography. As a base to add to, write the references for: The Australian gold rushes - series of books  an electronic book a newspaper article  a painting or drawing  a photograph an encyclopaedia article  website
	Using an electronic database	Find related poems in The source Search for names in the Eureka names database eg Carboni, Lalor, Hotham, your own name
SELECTING	What is gold? Ancient civilisations	Review notetaking. Practice example. Assess.  Practise 'digging for gold'  i.e. finding ALL the nuggets of relevant information. Read in classroom first for enjoyment and understanding. Assess. Create remedial group until mastery.
	Peter Lalor, in Australia's best social reformers	Notetaking from photocopy for assessment work sample
	Dictagloss	Reading first hand accounts - students take it in turns to read excerpts aloud. Others take notes of significant points. Could be recorded for intranet.
	Electronic notetaking	labnotes.htm
	Homework notetaking practice	to be decided
	Developing readers	Eureka stockade by Boardman and Harvey. Copies for small group. STL treats text, then TL works with group taking notes.
	Review Internet Acceptable Use Agreement	1. Downloads eg from Sovereign Hill (fantastic), but need see teacher first. 2. Ask a geologist: check with teacher first, after exhausting other possibilities 3. Lab lesson: Look at photos and works of art on recommended websites. Find copyright statement.
	Cultural bias	Review, with specific examples eg Omission Major nugget finds eg All people named, except 'One Chinese miner'  How many books lack reference to Aboriginal peoples?
	Evaluating websites	Check out the CCs of evaluating websites  Sovereign Hill encourages students to examine the AUTHORITY of  its site. Check it out! Here is their worksheet to print. check link It looks good - BUT - Who is the author of  Eureka? check link
	History / mystery - how history is interpreted	Compare different ways the discovery of gold by Edward Hargraves has been reported as historical fact. P5 Goldrushes, Ch 6 Aust in the making, P 100 Pioneers all from Anne Southwell, to check'
ORGANISING	Using Word to sort - Lab lesson	Type research findings into table (from template). Sort by date discovered, nugget weight, title etc.
	Using a word template in Excel	timeline
PRESENTING	see ideas below
ASSESSING		Notes, bibliography in portfolio Participation in discussions, applying information found

FREE CHOICE RESEARCH
When all the mandatory contributing questions have been researched, choose an area of interest to explore more fully.

An ancient civilisation and gold
Hargraves
Lambing Flat massacre
Eureka Stockade
Some miners brought revolutionary ideas to the goldfields with them. The diary of Rosa Aarans mentions revolutions in America (1775), France (1789) and Italy (1848). Find out what the people were protesting about and whether they were successful.
Beginning and end of White Australia Policy - eg present an interview
Suffrage. In 1854, only some men could vote. Who could and who could not? What does Man suffrage mean? When was it granted?  Who could vote then? Who could not? When could these people vote? (Aboriginal peoples, women etc)
The 8 hour day
Role of Native Police Corps - beginnings, laws, roles, uniforms, weapons, and any interesting facts.
Cobb & Co
Bushranger biography
Idioms
The story behind the discovery of one of the largest nuggets being found
 

Sequence of activities Pretest - What I know What I want to know Share with class, compile questions TL Notetaking review and assessment - What is gold? Video - start a concept map, add to questions TL Review OASIS searching - subject vs keyword, title, series, expert author, keys - Pge dn, > TL Bibliography - demonstration, do video together,  TL Rotate tables with varied resources for bibliography, practising format TL Notetaking development - 'digging for gold / finding ALL the facts) Ancient civ - remedial group guided Discussion - Life in Australia at the time of gold discovery. Review indigenous settlement, British colonisation over past 70 years - convicts, squatters and farmers, end of transportation in 1840 DVD - Australian history to 1850. Add to bibliography. Was there any additional info? Australian colonies - extensive collection of books on states. - When each was founded, separated from NSW, and formed own colonial government. TL primary vs secondary resources TL Finding pictures on the internet. Demonstration of Picture Australia & reminder Google - Australia. Look for pictures of Sydney / Melbourne / Bathurst / Neutral Bay in 1850. TL Copyright issues. Demonstration of finding statement, requesting permission. TL Add favourites, email to class address - to  reword - simple search eg miner's hut, advanced search eg gold and Gill, follow series of interest etc LAB Find copyright conditions for recommended websites with pictorial material Demonstrate websites eg SBS interactive map, flick a fact,  virtual lib TL Setting up class database for pictures LAB - Looking for pictures of Sydney (Melbourne, Bathurst) in 1850 - see also Targ p 32 for summary Video   - focus on first discoveries (NSW and Victoria) - list significant figures / list reasons for suppressing original discovery, discuss Class divides into small groups to research other states, report back to class or jigsaw group. TL in LAB Electronic notetaking in the lab & gaining info from primary sources State Library Of Victoria Virtual Exhibition see labnotes.htm TL Hand out notetaking proformas - Link to concept map / Questions. Identify HSIE formats eg table, timeline, flowchart, historical recount, maps, graphs.  name every sheet EXTENSIVE RESOURCE-BASED INQUIRY LEARNING Bring set dictionaries and atlases to library.  Continue to add, delete or modify concept map / question bank Meet with partner or small groups ocasionally to share, and reflect, and keep learning journal for written reflection Intersperse with guided activities to refresh students, to continue skill development, and/or to cover some of the more difficult aspects:- TL Cultural bias in resources slideshow, useful after students have begun interacting with resources. TL Notetaking from more than one source - two sources, two colours TL Share and compare - partners have same question, different source TO FIND - page from book, page from website, video clipk LAB Interactive map - SBS link each individual do one, write note on card, attach to large map, and mark on large timeline READ ALOUD Rachel Tonkin To the goldfields! [consider multiple copies for literacy support] A banner bold Break into groups of 10 and read a play Voices from the past - go under the spotlight, don a -cloak and take it in turns reading selected primary sources Chinese TL Demonstrate scroll with projector in library (add gongbi to glossary to search dictionary later | model adding to bibliography) CT Break up class in small groups / partners with questions LAB Explore online scroll, answer questions CT Students prepare reportback TL Use projector to show images, students report what they learned                      see unit to improve wording idea ???? print good history Young Museum groups read, cut into chunks, somehow divvy up notetaking in historical recount proforma ev do intro and conc Treat incidentally, when experienced TL What do we do when sources contradict each other? G&T     On the one hand Author A says .. (statement) On the other hand author B says ... (contrast) The strengths and weaknesses of A and B are ... (evaluation) optional My opinion is .... (conclusion) David Hart 2001

Literature
Read a novel, and
 1. retell succintly to class (inspiring them to read it, so not giving away ending)
 2. report on what could be learnt from the fiction about goldrushes

Either a wide variety with individuals, or a few children reading each with a reading circle followed by a panel discussion
Children read at home? and meet as a group to plan report.

Q&A at end of each novel report. How to share btwn 4 classes ? Two weeks each class to read?

• Write a procedure explaining one of the methods of extraction, and label an accompanying diagram
• Make up cards that name people, groups and events from the gold rush period. (ie list them first)
• Choose an event from the goldrush period and write a diary entry from the perspective of one person who lived through the event.
• Roleplay or dramatise a significant event.
• 'Meet' Edward Hargreaves, John Lister and the Tom Brothers. Why are they famous? Present information to the class in character.
• Dress up as Peter Lalor and tell his story. Why is he famous? (Use five actors as the Ballarat Reform League) or Interview
• Make a poster or a handbill to advertise a digger's protest meeting.
• Prepare your own goldfields petition, explaining why you think the mining licence fee should be reduced. Have the rest of the class sign it.
• Have a debate between two of teh people involved in the arguments over licences and diggers' rights. eg Raffaelo Carboni and Charles Hotham, Commissioner Rede and . They muight be on the same side but have different approaches to solving the problem such as Father Patrick Smythe and Peter Lalor
• Design a flowchart which shows the steps teh miners took in their efforts to change the mining licence regulations.
• Construct a timeline of the most important events surrounding the Eureka Rebellion, starting with the introduction of the mining licence.
• In a group, write and perform a play about the writing and presentation of the Goldfields Petition. You will need to include some miners and Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe, as well as a 13 m long petition.
• Make a wall frieze of a goldrush town, or equipment and inventions. Groups could draw/paint a different scene, working together so that the frieze tells a complete story
• Make a 3D model of a goldrush scene or any object used on the Australian goldfields during the 1800s.
• Write a newspaper article [ad for cradle etc )
•  eg interview with miner who just discovered one of the big nuggets
• Write a letter to a relative from the perspective of a young person living on the goldfields, or a miner moving on to a new adventure, waiting for his ship
• Write a letter to loved one in Britain Ireland, Europe or China about your experiences during the Eureka uprising. Remember to share with them aspects of life on the goldfields
• Write a historical recount of either the Eureka Stockade or the Lambing Flat riot
• Set up a classroom commission into life on the goldfields. Investigate the life of different groups such as British miners, European miners, Chinese miners, Aboriginal peoples, doctors, artists, entertainers, women, children. hat activities did each perform? What was life like for them on a daily basis? What hardships and injustices did they face?

   Report findings. Make recommendations as to how conditions could be improved for the particular group you are representing. Some students could take on the role of the media - report on the proceedings, offer an overview f the inquiry and a summary of the commissioner's decision.
• Set up an inquiry looking at the events surrounding the Eureka Stockade and/or the Lambing Flat massacre. One group the miners, the other the soldiers. Explore different aspects and debate the issues as if you were there at the time.

   eg the Eureka Stockade was an injustified rebellion against authority
        the licencing system was unfair and oppressive
        the eureka Stockade was a legitimate fight against oppression
• Choose one aspect of Australian life today that was influenced by the goldrush era to present.
• Design a keepsake box
• Plan and present a performance including songs, poems and role plays which capture the essence of the gold rush era, and its effects
• View from the tent. Imagine you are a miner who has woken a little later than usual. Draw what you see when you step out of the tent. You don't have to be an .S. T. Gill, but show your understanding of the structures, characters, activities and different gold mining methods used. Share the drawing with a small group, and explain the features you have included. Ref ?
• Paint or draw a mural which represents life on the goldfields (for someone same age?)
• http://eureka.imagineering.com.au/downloads/EurekaOnTrialEducation.pdf

LITERATURE

Bernard, Patricia Monkey Hill gold 1992
Gold miner Ebenezer Barrett and his young companion Sing Lee are blasted from the 1860s into Sydney 1992. Befriended by two children who feed, clothe and hide them, they are astonished by modern life. Much here about the history of gold mining and the treatment of Chinese people with particular note of the Lambing Flat massacre where Sing Lee's father dies. 10-14

Cheng, Chris New Golden Mountain the diary of Shu Cheong Lambing Flat, NSW, 1860–1861 2005
Shu Cheong came to Australia with his father and third uncle with great hopes that they would return to their Cantonese village with a fortune. Now that father and uncle are dead Shu Cheong is 'assigned' by the Chinese Society to a new uncle. Uncle is an educated man who writes letters for both the Chinese and white miners. He encourages Shu Cheong to learn English and keep a diary, something he sees might stand as a record of their troubles. From Shu's perspective the violent actions of the white miners are bewildering as is their emphasis on individuality.  Note series name altered to My Australian Story.  10-15

 Christie, Craig The Gold Rush Girls a one act play Donvale, Vic; Bushfire Press, 1994
Drama (musical) The situation of women on the gold fields. Commissioned for Sovereign Hill Museum, Ballarat, Victoria. 11-adult

Croser, Josephine Making Best  Era, 1993
Caleb is a young boy living at a gold field with his family. Life is hard but he enjoys much about it except for the hatred shown towards the Chinese. His father hates them too but he stands up for the Chinese miners during a riot.

Farrer, Vashti Eureka Gold1993
A brother and sister make a life on the goldfields at Ballarat but there is tragedy when their father is killed and the violence of the Eureka Stockade is brewing. All ends happily with Freda (who went to the diggings disguised as a boy) marrying Sam Perkins, ex-convict character from this author's Escape to Eaglehawk. 10-13

French, Jackie Valley of Gold;  one valley's stories of gold through the ages 2001?
Eight fictional stories arranged chronologically alternate with short nonfiction essays, all about the history of an Australian valley from the formation of the Earth.
The chronicling of the changes to this small part of the Earth are in a way quite shocking, especially the dispossession of the Aborigines and destruction wrought by mining. With each change the valley endures, taking on a new appearance, and oddly enough the effects of change appear to be unpredictable. See for example the coming of goats. An exciting and thoughtful addition to books about gold in Australia. 10-14 see Magpies Short stories index.

Lawson, Henry The loaded dog [short story]

Martin, David The Chinese Boy  1973
Living in the Kiandra goldfields in the 1860's (and later at Lambing Flat, now the town Young) fourteen year old Ho views and experiences a rough lifestyle where the humane are contrasted with the violent. 12-adult

Wheatley, Nadia A Banner Bold the diary of Rosa Aarons, Ballarat Goldfield, 1854  2000
Rosa Aarons recounts in her diary the extraordinary world she inhabits when she travels to Australia with her family in 1854. When they move to Ballarat, following the crowds of gold seekers, she witnesses the troubles that lead to the Eureka Stockade protest. 10-15

Tonkin, Rachel To the Goldfields!  1999
James (nine or ten years old?) recounts his experience of living on the goldfields from October 1852 when his mother decides to join her husband at Forest Creek, Victoria to late in 1854, just after the Eureka Stockade, when James' father finally strikes it rich and the family leaves and sets up a hardware store. 5-11 http://www.allen-unwin.com.au/Teaching/trtogold.asp

Golden pennies,

NZ

Sutton, Eve Valley of Heavenly Gold 1987
Young Matt helps his mother with the family store, but is eager to join his father in the goldfields, especially after he meets Ah Chong a Chinese miner. When his father returns home ill, it is up to Matt and Ah Chong to go to his claim and bring it back. Many adventures await the pair, including flooded rivers and robbers. 10-14

U.S.

Cushman, Karen The Ballad of Lucy Whipple Boston ; Houghton, 1999
Set in 1849, twelve-year-old 'Lucy' Whipple is dragged by her mother from the comfort of Massachusetts west to the excitement and disappointment of the California Gold Rush. In an author's note Cushman points out that California is named for the fictional Queen Calafia, ruler of tall bronze Amazons. While small in stature, Lucy is Amazonian as she finds a place in life that suits her. Her letters home to her grandparents chart her slowly changing attitude to her new home. 10-14

ALASKA

Hobbs, Will Jason's Gold New York; William Morrow , 1999
Fifteen-year-old Jason Hawthorn reads of the gold discovery in Alaska and immediately leaves New York to re-join his brothers in Seattle. He arrives to find they left for the Klondike two days before, so Jason, full of courage and enterprise, sets out after them. What follows is an exciting adventure full of details based on historical events and characters (a young Jack London makes a number of appearances) as Jason battles to join his brothers. The Alaskan landscape is awesomely rugged, the conditions of travel horrendous with many would-be gold seekers dying or turning back. The race is on to arrive at Dawson City before the bitter Alaskan winter sets in. Jason almost makes it but is forced to winter in the wilderness; a constant battle to keep warm and fed. The author’s note at the end is most informative. 10-14

Kent, Peter Quest for the West In Search of Gold London; MacDonald Young, 1999?
In 1849 the fictional Hornik family decide to leave their small mining village in the mountains of Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic) and emigrate to America. Each double-page opening shows a stage of the journey, first across Europe to take ship at Rotterdam, and then in America from New York across the continent to California. Detailed drawings, some cut-out drawings (including underwater and underground) pack in an amazing amount of information about transportation and life of the period, both in Europe and America. 9-14

Elliott, Louise  Mr Hornbeam's Treasure Hunt  1994
Young Lizzie Welcome stows away to seek her fortune in Australia. She teams up with timid Mr Hornblower wanting riches so he can marry an Englishwoman, Ned a deckhand, Mo a spirited young Aboriginal girl and Darcy Crocker a poetical swagman. They do find gold and enjoy the rich life for a short while, but the freedom of the road calls them back. 8-12

Giles, Barbara Flying Backwards 1985
The Blue oil works again, this time transporting Jack and a friend Pug back in time to the goldmining town of Skewe where Pug finds gold-enough gold for new BMXs and more! Companion to "Bicycles Don't Fly". 8-13   Time travel.

Godwin, Jane  Minnie and the superguys  2004
Into 11 year old Minnie's life of wealth, structure and isolation comes three tiny Chinese boys, the Superguys who 'stowaway' in Minnie's antique Chinese wardrobe after a performance in the Rainbow's garden. The orphaned triplets, Abel, Eugene and Chiew Ping, claim the wardrobe was made by their grandfather who they are trying to find, but further questioning establishes that the grandfather is dead, a 'celestial being', and is actually several 'greats' back in time. Minnie 'rise[s] to the challenge', and sets out for the Victorian goldfields with the (hidden) boys to see if any of their family can be found. Meanwhile they are pursued by, Carmella, the wicked owner of The Company which had brought the boys as performers to Australia. There is a reason why the wardrobe is in Minnie's family and the twists and suspense finding out why this is so make for a wonderful adventure novel. Plenty of humour too. This is the sort of book that gives Australian history a touch of magic and to which young fans will want to return time and again. 10-13 Magpies The Source

Hurle, Rusty The Rusty Kee Adventures 1984
An exciting, witty and unusual adventure story featuring teeth and keys! Rusty Kee, a part Chinese left on the pub steps as a baby, is as interested as his guardian, Smiler Harris, in dentistry and in particular in obtaining enough teeth for Widow McDuff's new dentures. This quest leads to a far more dangerous search for a key which provides the directions to a fabulously rich gold mine. As in "Quickhoney" Hurle introduces a very strong puzzle element involving measurement, this time based on the ward cuts of a key. 11-14

Murray, Kirsty Bridie's Fire  2003
Series Children of the Wind Most historical sagas start out with the characters on a rise towards happiness, here the beginning is so grim many readers will doubt young Bridie O'Connor can ever struggle free of hunger and tragedy. Before they are struck down by the consequences of the failure of their potato crop, Bridie's family and their neighbours live materially impoverished but seemingly socially rich lives by the sea in County Kerry, Ireland. Bridie is an outgoing girl, renowned for her storytelling, a skilled seamstress, loving daughter and sister and a hard worker. Then the crop is blighted and overnight a decline begins that leaves her entire family dead except for one brother. Bridie and her brother Brandon fetch up in a workhouse but after some months Bridie has the chance to leave as an immigrant to Australia. She is reluctant to leave but is pushed into it by a fellow inmate, leaving Brandon to an uncertain future. When things go bad working as an indentured servant for a wealthy family near Melbourne, Bridie runs off to the goldfields. The Irish scenes in this novel are unforgettable, but Bridie's time in gold rush Australia is a variation on an often-told tale. Nevertheless young readers will relish Bridie's adventurous spirit and for some the historic events will be unfamiliar and exciting. 11-15 Teachers' Notes are available (link not working)

Jinks, Catherine  Eustace a ghost story 2003
The only good thing about the school excursion to the old gold mining town Hill End is that handsome Jesse Gerangelos is going and Allie will have the opportunity to gaze at him uninterrupted for an entire weekend. Of course other things get in the way, chiefly three ghosts: a little boy, Eustace, haunting an old cottage occupied by Allie's mother's hippie friends, a belligerant old miner whose haunting almost causes the death of Jesse and his mate Tony and, possibly, a nurse who haunts the museum which was formerly a hospital. Allie discovers Jesse isn't quite the boy she thought and that the most likely ghost is a sham—or at least it seems that way. Companion to Eglantine and Eloise although less engaging than those two novels. The source 9-14

Metzenthen, David Time Turns on Spooky Hill 2004
Cal and Mitch stay late in a theme park, an historical one set up like an old goldmining town, and people they presume to be actors seem to be doing things for real. That one of the things they are trying to do is hang a young man prompts the boys to take action. Clever, vivid and attention-catching. 8-11 The Source

Robinson Lyrebird's Tail 1998
Series Takeaway  When Gary and his two young 'sort-of' cousins find a skull in the bush after a landslip, a hundred years old mystery starts to unravel about the disappearance of Gary's great-great grandfather and the greedy plans of an in-law, 'no-hoper' Harry. An economically told tale of family mystery, gold fever and farming life. 10-14 The Source

Scott, W.N. (Bill) The Currency Lad 1994
A very old-fashioned tale of an orphan hero who works and fights his way to a fortune, also finding out he is of the nobility. Interesting information about Aboriginal people and early gold discoveries.

Southall, Ivan The Golden Goose 1981
The trials of Custard as he is dragged around the country by Preacher, now Prospector, Tom in search of gold. The rumours about Custard's supposed powers start a gold rush. Very difficult to assign a genre, sort of an historical melodrama cum cautionary tale! Some quite wonderful scenes. Sequel to "King of the Sticks". The Sourcre 13 to Adult  - extension G&T

Set in gold areas
Baillie, Allan Secrets of Walden rising
Southall, Ivan The fox hole ?

Modern gold finding
Disher, Garry The apostle bird ?
Bates, Dianne Grandma Cadbuty's safari tours

Junior
Ball, Duncan The case of the getaway gold
O'Connor Tessa and the golden dragon

Catran , Ken Lin and the Red Stranger

Simpson, Roger Hunter's Gold

Gold mine AND gulgong - 21 images

Gold mine AND northern territory - 84 images. Bit monotonous and the images might be too recent but et was interesting to see how big the gold mines up there were/are. I always picture a small cave, and a bloke with a little pick chipping away, or same bloke sitting by a stream with the big pan. These mines you could drive a truck through, so an interesting contrast.

Gold mine AND south australia AND state library of south australia - 27 images. Gorgeous, sepia tones, and the right era for your inquiry unit.

In advanced search:
Ballarat AND gold resulted in 261 images over 10 pages. A little long but some exciting images. Also, if you really like the ones from the State Library of Victoria you can limit your search to that agency by selecting State Library of Victoria from the drop down menu in the agencies field on the advanced search screen. I did this and got 141 images. I'm not sure if your students will want to do this, but the more advanced researchers might like this feature of the system.

A second advanced search using the terms Victoria AND gold fields resulted in 46 images over 2 pages.

Ballarat AND gold resulted in 261 images over 10 pages. A little long but some exciting images. Also, if you really like the ones from the State Library of Victoria you can limit your search to that agency by selecting State Library of Victoria from the drop down menu in the agencies field on the advanced search screen. I did this and got 141 images.

Gwyn Wilding, PictureAustralia http://www.pictureaustralia.org

Ref
Life on the goldfields; teacher notes
Purdie, K and T Kilby The impact of gold
Soutwell, Anne [HSIE consultant] The Australian goldfields 2000
 

RESOURCES: photographs, videos, books, websites, paintings and drawings, newspaper articles, ballads and songs, poems, maps and atlases, map of Aboriginal language groups, population statistics, biographies, autogiographies, diaries and journals, letters ORGANISATION: outline maps - World, Australia, NSW, graph paper, folders, proformas, recycled paper, art paper, plastic envelope for printouts from home (to keep separate) 7 ROTATING GROUPS (if limited resources/time) : books 2-3, Eureka, bushrangers, colonies, ancient civilisations, internet, MORE?: bibliography practice, original documents, multiple copies, reference (encyclopedias/ atlases / maps)