Bulletin

Issue: August 2004

News

Golden opportunity drums up future archaeologists

A classroom activity kit introducing younger students to archaeology - initiated by La Trobe University Professor of Archaeology, Tim Murray, and dealing with one of Australia's most significant urban archaeological sites - is now available.

Titled Digging for Gold, the kit centres on a 'dig' by La Trobe and the heritage consultancy firm, Godden Mackay Logan in Camp St, Ballarat in 2000.

The kit has been funded by La Trobe University, Heritage Victoria and Godden Mackay Logan.

La Trobe University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Fred Smith, launched the kit in July at the opening of the Ballarat's 'Marching in Time' exhibition, attended by 200 people.

The exhibition shows finds from the Camp St dig and runs until November 7 at the Ballarat Art Gallery, which occupies part of the Camp St site. It will be on display until mid-November as a prelude to the 'Eureka Revisited' exhibition.

More than 12,000 artefacts were unearthed at Camp St, as well as the remains of military barracks, a morgue and lock-ups.

The Government camp was the legal and administrative centre of the Ballarat goldfields - and the site from which the 12th and 40th regiments marched to the Eureka Stockade in 1854.

Professor Smith said by focusing on this highly significant chapter in our history, the kit reveals how archaeologists date deposits, what they learn from the artefacts they retrieve, and how the site is researched through historical documents, written accounts and maps.

'It shows how the excavation proceeded, and, finally, what the Camp St site has told us about life in Ballarat during the Gold Rush.'

Professor Smith said Digging for Gold arose from an idea of Professor Murray's, following discussions with Heritage Victoria and Godden Mackay Logan. The kit was developed by Astarte Resources. La Trobe Archaeology technical officers, Rudy Frank and Wei Ming assembled the kit's contents.

Digging for Gold is available through Astarte Resources, Tel (02) 6238 3616.

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