The life of a person on the goldfield was hard working and often not very rewarding.
Many men rushed to Ballarat in the 1850's in hope of finding gold. It was not cheap
to work on the goldfields, in fact it was quite expensive. You needed to buy tools,
food, shelter and a gold mining license. Some men also brought their families
to the goldfields so this would be extra costs for them.
You need to look at these websites that focus on the conditions people would
have lived and worked in. Take notes in microsoft word from the information
you find on the websites below. The notes you take in Word, need to have at least three paragraphs of information that you have put into your own words. Do not just cut
and paste everything. You may also like to find websites of
your own about what it was like to be on the goldfields, using Google.
Australian Government website about the Gold Rush
After you have completed your research and taken notes you need to click on one of the links below. It will take you to either a Word document that contains the diary entries that people on the goldfields actually wrote. Your other option is to click on the second link which directs you to the Sovereign Hill website, that has all the diary entries being read out to you. You may like to use both so you can hear it and read along. It is not neccessary for you to read of listen to all the diary entries. Pick two or three to read/ listen to.
Sovereign Hill website with diaries recorded
Finally, I would like you to open microsoft Word and write a diary entry using
the knowledge you have about the gold rush and put yourself
in the shoes of someone who would have been there.
Try and write at least six sentences.
Here are some suggestions if you are a bit stuck....
A woman who has come from England with her husband and three children
A poor man who desperately wants to find gold so he can eat
A person who gets caught because they did not have a gold license
Someone who strikes rich!
If you are unsure about how to write a diary entry link on this link.