chewton, goldfields agitation, goldfields agitation league, agitation hill

Colour photograph of the site of goldfields agitation at Chewton. chewton, agitation hill, goldfields agitation league

Colour photograph of a landscape known as Agitation Hill, Chewton. It was here that goldfields meetings against the license tax were held in 1851.chewton, agitation hill, goldfields agitation league

Colour photograph of the site of goldfields agitation meetings at Chewton. chewton, agitation hill, goldfields agitation league

chewton, goldfields agitation league, agitation hill

chewton, agitation hill, goldfields agitation league

chewton, goldfields agitation league, agitation hill

chewton, agitation hill, goldfields agitation league

The site of goldfields agitation at Chewton.chewton, goldfields reform league, agitation

The discovery of gold in Victoria in 1851 initially overwhelmed the Colonial administration. Towns appeared almost overnight and it was challenging to keep law and order. To keep some control over the gold seekers and help pay for the administration of the goldfields, Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe introduced gold licences in September 1851. Miners paid 30 shillings per month (later reduced to £1 per month or £8 per year) for the right to dig a small ‘claim’, usually about eight feet square (2.4m²). Not surprisingly the licence system was unpopular. The licence was expensive – 30 shillings was a substantial sum for most diggers, who might spend months digging for gold without success. Resistance to the licence fee spread throughout the fields. A Miner’s Association was formed at Mount Alexander (Castlemaine) in December 1851 and at Bendigo in 1853 the Red Ribbon Rebellion was led by the Anti-Gold Licence Association. Diggers wore red ribbons in their hats as a sign of protest, refused to pay their licences and collected a ‘monster’ petition which was presented to Lieutenant-Governor La Trobe. The petition demanded immediate reform of government administration, a reduction in the licence fee, the right to vote and land reform (with poor returns from diggings, miners wanted affordable land on or near the goldfields). This proposal to commemorate a significant event in the history of Bendigo, is for the creation of a permanent installation in Bendigo that will commemorate the valour and integrity of the Bendigo diggers, who stood fast against the Government in the early days of protest on the Victorian diggings. Nine page photocopy of document titled: ' The Red Ribbon Rebellion & the Bendigo Petition. A proposal to commemorate a significant event in the history of Bendigo'. Contents includes a brief history of the Red Ribbon movement; description of the Digger's Banner; information on Governor LaTrobe; William Dixon Campbell Denovan and an outline of the proposed project to commemorate the event. The imposition of a license fee imposed upon the miners, by the Government of Victoria, cause a major agitation on the Bendigo diggings and the Anti-License League was born in Bendigo. Signatures were gathered for a petition: 'It is widely believed that more than 23,000 signatures had been gathered from diggers across all the nearby goldfields; most of those were said to have been lost in the McIvor Escort Robbery of 20 July 1853'. The proposal was prepared by Geoff Hocking in consultation with the Bendigo Historical Society and Jim Evans of the Red Ribbon Repertory Co.mining, sandhurst, red ribbon rebellion, agitation, denovan, latrobe, miners, license fee, diggers

Before the end of August 1851 the government had decided to charge a large licence fee for the right to search for gold. When news of that decision reached the Buninyong diggings, the first protest on the Victorian goldfields was held. The monument to that meeting has been placed at the site where it is believed that the meeting took place, in Hiscock Gully Road, about 400 metres from the Midland Highway.Colour photograph of a rock with a commemorative plaque outlining goldfields agitation at Buninyong.The plaque on the monument reads:- "Plaque on the Ballarat Reform League Inc. Monument at Buninyong, 2012. After the discovery of gold at Buninyong in August 1851 the government announced that the diggers would be charged a large licence fee. The injustice of that decision sparked a public protest here at the diggings. 'Buninyong 26 August - Tonight for the first time since Australia rose from the bossum of the ocean, were men strong in their sense of right, lifting up a protest against an impending wrong, and protesting against the Government. (Melbourne Argus, 20 August 1851)"ballarat reform league inc, goldfields agitation, buninyong monument, eureka stockade

Colour photograph of a monument to goldfields agitation at Chewton. agitation hill, chewton, goldfields reform league, ballarat reform league, eureka stockade

Colour photograph of the Ballarat Reform League memorial at Agitation Hill, Chewton. chewton, ballarat reform league, goldfields reform league, goldfield agitation, eureka stockade

chewton, goldfield reform league