Historical Photography and the Nineteenth Century Gold Rushes

Photography was still a novelty and topic of immense public interest during the 1850s goldrush. Richard Daintree and Antoine Fauchery both tried to make their fortunes in the gold fields near Ballarat before joining forces to open one of Australia’s most successful early photography studios. Photographs produced in the very early twentieth century reveal a sense of the social and environmental costs of an event that brought wealth and fortune to many, but misery to many others. Dianne will explore goldrush photography of Australia, before comparing it to gold mining photography from California and New Zealand photographers.

Anne Maxwell is an Associate Professor in the English Program in the School of Culture and Communication at the University of Melbourne. She has published numerous articles and essays, and is the author of ‘Colonial Photography and Exhibitions’ (2000), ‘Picture Imperfect: Photography and Eugenics’ (2008), co-editor with Josephine Croci of ‘Shifting Focus: Colonial Australian Photography 1860-1920’ (2015), ‘Women Photographers of the Pacific World, 1857–1930’ (2020) and co-author with Lucy Van of ‘Australian Women’s Historical Photography: Other times, Other Places’ (2024).