Diggings

The 'diggings' was a colloquial term used to describe the gold rush locations in Australia during the 1850s. Gold miners - the diggers - would describe their journey 'to the diggings' and say they were 'at (or on) the diggings'. Because of the speed at which a 'rush' to a particular location might occur, or at which it might be abandoned at news of another rush, the term 'diggings' tended to apply to general areas.

Related Topics:
Gold rush - Australia - Gold miner

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In Victoria, some of the major diggings were Ballarat, Bendigo (Sandhurst), Mount Alexander or Forest Creek, Ovens Valley and Omeo.

Related Topics:
Ballarat - Bendigo - Mount Alexander or Forest Creek - Ovens Valley - Omeo

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As surface gold diminished and mining companies replaced individual diggers, the term 'diggings' dropped out of use.

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