At a mass meeting on Bakery Hill on Wednesday, November 29, 1854 the blue "Southern Cross" flag flew for the first time behind the speakers. The Reform League’s delegates reported their failure to obtain any undertakings from Governor Hotham, other than the promise of a Commission of Enquiry, which was perhaps seen as a delaying tactic. With the patience of the miners running out, and the mood of moderation beginning to darken, the meeting voted in favour of burning licences and general resistance to the arrest of unlicensed miners. So it was that the miners of Ballarrat rose up against the unjust taxes, in the form of mining licences, that the government of the fledgeling State of Victoria was imposing upon them and one of the most defining periods in Australian history began.

Today, 150 years later, the descendants of the protagonists of this battle, that resulted in the death of 22 miners on the Eureka Stockade and 4 Government troopers, look back on this defining moment in Australian history.

Most countries can point to civil wars that killed thousands of soldiers and civilians as defining moments in their history. For Australia this, relatively minor skirmish was the defining moment in our nationhood. It distinguishes us from England that seeded our caucasian population and from the jingoism of America. Whilst Australia has been present at most major wars, we are not a nation that values conflict or looks to war as a solution to our problems. The leader of the Eureka rebellion, Peter Lalor (that is his descendant on the left), was later elected and represented the interests of the disaffected miners in the Victorian parliament. Like so few countries we settled our differences by largely peaceful and democratic processes. Perhaps the most precious aspect of Australian culture, and one thing that distinguishes us in the world, is our reluctance to resort to violence to address internal conflicts.

Australians also have a distinct distrust of authority that lives on from this time. With the current ethical and moral standards demonstrated by the worlds most powerful individuals it is hard to see how this is such a bad thing.

For those of you who are completely ignorant of the Eureka rebellion, there is a consise summary here.