Victorian Goldfields World Heritage listing bid project
The Victorian Goldfields World Heritage listing bid project is a partnership between 15 local governments, regional organisations, academia and the private sector on behalf of the Victorian Goldfields community. This partnership represents almost half a million people, embracing nearly 20% of the state of Victoria in Australia. The bid seeks to achieve a World Heritage listing to celebrate the history and heritage of the region.
Webinar Session 2: Uncovering lesser-known stories of Victorian Goldfields towns
This presentation from Dr Jill Wheeler (President of the Linton and District Historical Society) will describe how the discovery of gold in May 1855 on the Emu Hill pastoral run, about 35 kilometres south-west of Ballarat, commenced a transformation of this peaceful landscape. By then already occupied by pastoralists from Scotland who had displaced the original Wathawurrung people, this place became known as Lintons’ Diggings, a feverish hive of gold seekers living in tents. Ultimately, it developed into a permanent settlement that became a town called Linton.
While a ‘three cheers’ approach to the history of the gold rush tends to celebrate enormous gold finds and quick riches, I will use the history of this one small town to illustrate a more nuanced picture. I will include the often-forgotten role of women on the goldfields, the influence of the Chinese, and the impact on children and the environment. And I will challenge the Australian ‘progress story’ about gold seeking as stimulating ‘a spirit of individualist enterprise which militated against class and industrial conflict.’
When: Friday 9 May
Time: 2 - 2.30pm
Where: Online
For more information, click here.