170 years ago, on the morning of December 3rd a large number of British heavily armed and some mounted military and police under the direction of the Governor of Victoria attacked a stockade on the Eureka lead hastily constructed by diggers trying to protect themselves from aggressive licence hunts. Officially 27 died but we know it is actually more than 80 including women. The attack created outrage in the colony and led to significant reforms and the start of both our national democratic traditions and the birth of the Australian Trade Union Movement.

A HISTORY OF THE EUREKA REBELLION

After many land wars by Aboriginal nations against British colonialism, the battle at the Eureka Stockade was fought on 3rd December 1854. It became the most significant class conflict in the colonial history of Victoria. It remains the major armed rebellion in the History of Settler Australia. The Eureka rebellion and Southern Cross flag have become powerful symbols of a major turning point in Australian politics.

Eureka was the climax of civil disobedience in the Ballarat region. During the gold rush era, the diggers objected to very expensive mining items and Miner’s License, taxation (via the license) without representation and the repressive actions of the colonial government through its police and military. On the other hand, the merchants and pastoralists (squatters), in conjunction with their parliamentary representatives overwhelmingly controlled the Victorian Legislative Council. They were intent on tax avoidance themselves.

The rebelliousness of the miners in Ballarat grew from The Ballarat Reform League movement and concluded with an organised battle at the Eureka Stockade against the colonial forces.

To read more on the history of Eureka from this website click on this link