Economic historians note that the timing of these gold discoveries may have been related to international developments such as the California gold rush of the late 1840s, which had heightened general interest in gold exploration and mining. The first well publicised find of gold in Australia, near Bathurst in New South Wales, was by a veteran of the California gold rush.
Domestic economic developments may also have influenced the timing, as the continuing effects of the 1840s recession meant that labour in Australia was abundant and mobile, and therefore more likely to become involved in prospecting. 2 This boom ended up being mainly centred on the gold fields of Victoria.