The Alchemy of Gold, an event bringing together ‘experts, historians and the community to explore how the discovery of gold in the 1850s reshaped Victoria economically, socially and politically’ took place over the weekend of May 16-18. Its aim: ‘celebrate our goldfields heritage’.
The context of the event is the ambitious project to achieve World Heritage status for the Victorian goldfields.
You only have to look at the above list of topics to realise that the title, ‘alchemy of gold’, and the aim, to ‘celebrate our goldfields heritage’, were contentious. From the beginning of the weekend, it was acknowledged that not everything in that era was to be celebrated: gold rushes worldwide have all been accompanied by dispossession of indigenous peoples; and the environmental destruction that accompanied Victoria’s rush was eloquently evoked during the event [see below].
The negative effects of the age of gold haven’t conveniently disappeared into the past, and a simple ‘celebration’ would run the risk of looking like a whitewash. This is particularly problematic when you consider the tendency of heritage experts to ignore or downplay the negative experiences of the past. And a World Heritage Listing, if improperly defined, could worsen the situation by solidifying the notion that the gold rush was all romanticism, grit and colourful drama (to be remembered over a nice cup of coffee).
So: how did Alchemy of Gold go? Like all events in which there were numerous speakers (well over thirty, in this case), it was a mixed bag. Beautifully organised, smoothly run: but leaving us with difficult questions.
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
Click on image for info/order page
I helped out at the Alchemy of Gold. I didn’t look at the whole program…did you? I thought there was definite acknowledgement of the destruction of the gold rush to the environment and to indigenous people. I think Sunday was more on environmental…???
It didn’t seem to make out it was all wonderful. One talk I was able to attend about women on the goldfields was pretty shocking. I think the World heritage listing is about the built environment in town????
Hi Chris
Yes, we did look at the whole program. You’ll notice we didn’t attack the event, but drew attention to the challenges involved in any idea of ‘celebrating’ the past.
The World heritage bid is not restricted to towns: it focuses on ‘significant sites and townships’, and includes the Castlemaine goldfields: see https://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media/victorian-goldfields-world-heritage-bid-celebrates-tentative-listing