Table of Contents
What did the Eureka flag mean to the miners?
On November 29th 1854, the diggers gathered at a spot known as Bakery Hill, hoisted the flag and swore an oath, to stand truly by each other and fight to defend our rights and liberties. The Southern Cross became a symbol of defiance, the Eureka Flag against the Union Jack.
What is the Eureka Stockade flag?
The Eureka Stockade Flag consists of a dark blue field with a central white symmetric cross consisting of five eight-pointed stars, representing the Crux constellation. The white cross behind the stars is Celtic. The design was first used in the Eureka Rebellion of 1854 at Ballarat in Victoria, Australia.
Why is the Eureka Stockade a symbol of independence?
The flag was huge. The Southern Cross style of flag was carried as a symbol of revolt by striking shearers in Barcaldine, Queensland, in 1891. Today the Eureka flag is used as a symbol of egalitarian independence and republicanism and is displayed by unionists at protest meetings.
Why was the Southern Cross on the Eureka flag?
By the mid-nineteenth century, the Southern Cross was deeply imbued with all of this symbolism. So, in 1854, when European and North American gold miners took a stand against the colonial government’s administration of the goldfields, the Southern Cross was chosen as the central emblem for the Eureka flag.
What did the miners call themselves in Ballarat?
Eureka Rebellion
| Eureka Rebellion | |
|---|---|
| Eureka Stockade Riot. John Black Henderson (1854) watercolour | |
| Date 3 December 1854 Location Ballarat East (now Eureka), Ballarat, Colony of Victoria Result Miners’ rebellion defeated by the Victorian authorities | |
| Belligerents | |
| Colony of Victoria British Army Victoria Police | Stockade rebels |
When did the miners burn their licenses?
November 1854
The miners felt this was an unfair system and were prepared to fight for change. Police invaded the mines to enforce the licensing laws, in late November 1854. The miners refused to cooperate, and burned their licences and stoned police.
What is a blue flag with a white cross?
The flag of Scotland is a white X-shaped cross (a saltire), which represents the cross of the patron saint of Scotland, Saint Andrew on a blue sky. The flag is called the Saltire or the Saint Andrew’s Cross.