The inaugural The Alchemy of Gold forum has been declared an outstanding success. The event attracted huge crowds of goldfields history buffs from across Australia to the Campbells Creek Community Centre from May 16-18.
The three-day forum featured more than 40 experts, historians and community members sharing their value insights into the discovery of gold in Victoria in the 1850s and how this reshaped the state.
The event was facilitated by Castlemaine Historical Society Inc, Castlemaine Society, Chewton Domain Society, Maldon Museum, and the Castlemaine Pioneers and Old Residents Association.
The Express had the opportunity to attend the Women and Children on the Goldfields session on the Friday afternoon and enjoyed informative addresses from Victorian Goldfields World Heritage Bid representative Trevor Budge who shared some fascinating stats on the numbers of women and children on the goldfields.
Interestingly, unlike the California, New Zealand, South Africa and other goldfields across the world, Budge said the Mount Alexander Goldfield had a high proportion of women and children among its population between 1851 and 1861 at times up to 40 per cent.
Chewton-based historian Kacey Sinclair spoke on the topic of ‘When Women Speak: New ways to see the goldfields through the letters and testimonies of women’ – shedding light on the individuals who helped shape Australia’s past and in particular three women and their heart-wrenching stories.
Finally, Julie Mac spoke on the life of her great great great grandmother Sarah Davenport, a female digger on the goldfields who wrote a laboriously handwritten scech (diary) of her journey to and experiences on the goldfields.
To learn more about this and potential future events visit www.thealchemyofgold.com.au or The Alchemy of Gold Facebook page.
