One people's discovery, another people's loss - the effect on Aboriginal people

Dispossessed

The gold rush proved to be a second wave of dispossession for the Aboriginal people. Already marginalised by the first white settlement, the discovery of gold destroyed vast tracts of land and much of their traditional way of life. See image 1

The destruction of their environment and subsequently their traditional lifestyle was a major cause of grief for the Aboriginal people. Traditional food sources such as berries and plants, as well as the native animals they depended upon for meat were all destroyed as the Europeans cleared land and stripped huge areas of timber for their own needs.

The influence of Western culture began to affect Aboriginal peoples in other ways. They were soon attracted to the white settlers' camps. Of particular interest to them were the settlers' mining implements such as axes, shovels and other tools for turning over soil. They also sought staples such as flour, sugar and tobacco.

Effects of white settlement

Possibly the most sought after commodity, and the most disastrous for the Aboriginal people, was alcohol. Unaccustomed to the effects of drink, they soon became addicted to it. Many Aboriginal people drank alcohol to excess, leading to a range of social problems within their tribal culture.

A large number of diggers took a cruel pleasure in baiting Aboriginal peoples in various ways. Many were severely mistreated. On occasions they were given flour laced with arsenic, or they were even murdered. Aboriginal their women were often taken from the camps.

One of the worst effects of white settlement was the introduction of new diseases. Aboriginal peoples' lack of immunity meant that they had no defence against European illnesses and their traditional remedies had no effect. Diseases such as smallpox, measles and influenza decimated tribes around the goldfields.

Opportunity

For some Aboriginal people, white settlement brought new opportunities. Some tried to work with the diggers, offering their services as hunters or as general assistants, helping with the digging operations.

Aboriginal people were also employed as law officers in Victoria. Native officers were frequently employed as escorts for gold shipments. They would travel with the shipments of gold (sometimes up to 2 1/2 tonnes) to their destination in Melbourne or Sydney. See image 2

Others were taken on as guides, or as cultural go-betweens. The police force also recognised the Aboriginal peoples' unique abilities to survive in the arid environment and sought to make use of their bush wisdom. Their marvellous abilities as pathfinders and hunters saw many Aboriginal people become an integral part of policing teams, creating the tradition of the `black tracker'. This existed for many years, becoming part of Australian bush life. See image 3