In two years the population
of the Victorian gold-fields almost equalled the whole population of the
colony at the close of 1850. Most of the diggers lived in tents, and had
absolutely no interest in the colony beyond the mere hope of profit from
the diggings. If a more profitable field had opened elsewhere, they
would have left at once. By the end of the year 1851 the probable area
of future discoveries was pretty well recognized. The gold-fields, with
few exceptions, were found to lie on one side or the other of the
eastern Cordillera or chain of mountains which, beginning with Mount
Elliot in Northern Queensland, follows the coast with remarkable
precision till it reaches Port Phillip Bay. But all the more northerly
part of this chain was unexplored in 1851, and of course there was room
for almost any development within such wide limits.
Warned by events in New South Wales, the governments of the other
Australian colonies had made preparations for the crisis. Western
Australia was too remote to be much affected; and her newly arrived
supply of convict labor rendered her contented.
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