Australia in History: The Eureka Stockade big trouble on the diggings. Geoff Hocking. 2005.

IN THE MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY Australia's gold rush inspired hundreds to leave their jobs as labourers, policemen and public servants and try they luck on the goldfields of Victoria and New South Wales. As the diggers poured onto the goldfields, the governments became concerned that there would be no one left in the colonies to do any work. In an attempt to drive the diggers back to their jobs, the Victorian and New South Wales governments placed heavy taxation, in the form of gold-licence fees, on every man at the diggings But the governments' plan was not successful

The diggers began to resent the government and formed themselves into

anti-licence committees that were prepared to fight for their rights

The Eureka Stockade traces the events that led to the attack by government troops on the diggers at the Eureka Stockade, just before dawn on 3 December 1854. The diggers joined together to defend their rights and flew a rebel flag as a symbol of protest, over the Eureka diggings