Gold and civilisation

The exhibition explores how the discovery of gold in Australia from 1851 had a profound impact on Australias social and political development by creating enormous wealth and triggering an unprecedented wave of immigration and social change. Personal narratives, photographs and memorabilia will present the stories of those who came to live and work in the goldfields, including artists, goldsmiths, prospectors, ex-convict diggers, entertainers, participants in the Eureka Stockade uprising, Chinese miners, bankers, Aboriginal people, women, children and explorers. Revealing the powerful place of gold in the human imagination, Gold and Civilisation draws on gold artefacts from 35 countries including Austria, China, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and The Vatican which represent the highest artistic standards of their culture.