State Library of South Australia logo Timeline
SA Memory. South Australia past and present, for the future




Race to the gold diggings of Australia
Title : Race to the gold diggings of Australia Race to the gold diggings of Australia
Add To My SA Memory
Date of creation : [ca. 185-]
Format : Game
Dimensions : board 487 x 335 mm; in container 192 x 140 x 45 mm
Catalogue record
The State Library of South Australia is keen to find out more about SA Memory items. We encourage you to contact the Library if you have additional information about any of these items.
Copyright : Reproduction rights are owned by State Library of South Australia. This image may be printed or saved for research or study. Use for any other purpose requires permission from the State Library of South Australia. To request approval, complete the Permission to publish form.
Description :

Players race each other from Plymouth in England to Port Phillip, Victoria earning bonuses and penalties. This game includes 6 lead ships and a rules card. It is the earliest known board game about Australia.


In 1851, Edward Hargreaves discovered gold near Bathurst in New South Wales - the beginning of the Australian gold rushes. Within six months, gold had been found in Victoria at Ballarat, and then at Bendigo Creek.

Thousands of diggers rushed to each new area as a gold find was announced. At first the diggers came from the colonies, including South Australia, but soon immigrants arrived from Britain, Europe, America and China, intent on making their fortunes. In 1852 an estimated 370,000 migrants arrived in Australia, and the economy boomed.

Subjects
Further reading :

Hocking, Geoff Gold: a pictorial history of the Australian gold rush Rowville, Vic: Five Mile Press, 2006

Stone, Derrick I. and Sue MacKinnon Life on the Australian goldfields Carlton, Vic.; [Sydney]: Methuen of Australia, [1976]

Internet links :

The Australian gold rush: stories from Australia's culture and recreation portal

Gold! (Victorian Cultural Collaboration)

Gold, gold, gold (Children's Literature Research Collection, State Library of South Australia)

Exhibitions and events :

Navigation

Home

About SA Memory

Explore SA Memory

SA Memory Themes

Search

My SA Memory

Learning

What's on

Contributors