The Eureka Stockade was an eruption of suppressed anger on the Ballarat goldfields in 1854, and remains an ongoing symbol of popular protest. Arising out of an unpopular licensing scheme, the rebellion resulted in a set of even more unpopular show trials that failed to convict any of those charged. The records that the government kept of its dealings with the mining community of Ballarat are focused around attempts to impose order through fines, arrests and trials. However, the widespread unrest turned into a test of the government’s aims and methods. Indeed, Eureka in many ways shaped the governance and character of the new colony of Victoria.

Click on one of the nine focus areas below to explore the Eureka story further. There are  also a number of education activities.

State of the Goldfields	Hotham's Narrative	Murder of James Scobie
Burning of Bentley's Hotel	Escalating Tensions	Eureka Stockade
Perspectives	The State Trials	Aftermath