Eureka Stockade Flag 1854
All the nations born of the UK have at one time or another experienced a phase of rebellion, ethnic tension, and anti-government movements. 'Down Under' in Australia two interesting rebellious events took place.
First in 1854 in Victoria, Australia the famous Eureka Stockade gold miners revolt occurred. The 'Jefferson Davis' of the Eureka Stockade revolt was Peter Lalor, originally born 'Up Over' in Ireland in 1827, died in 1889. Conflict arose between miners and perceived injustices and issues with the Australian government.
Miners Swearing Allegiance to the Flag
A fight broke out at Ballarat, Victoria. For those of yous living in the Northern Hemisphere that's about at nearly equal apparent converse latitude of Richmond, Virginia: the primary capital of the Confederate States of America.
The spring of 1854 was a pressure cooker for Australia. From October 17 to December 3, a particular group of Southerns from Victoria left a lauded super sized footnote in Australian History, that necessitates a movie remake every generation. Some of the underlying issues were religious, racism, labor, money, land ownership, and politics that involved the perpetually underdog Irish-Catholics vs the Protestant phat cats in power.
Modern Rendition of Roll up Banner
as a vexillologically 'GOOD FLAG' without text
Several years later when the US Civil War began, another historically charmed event was born in Australian consciousness that stemmed from the Roll Up Banner. Although this banner did not represent a rebellious government. It represents a movement and juicy part of Australian history with a sharper focus on the interplay of immigration and racial issues.
This historical event took place in New South Wales in the winter of June 1861. As in the US and Canada there were many a Chinese Immigrant who were attracted to mining operations. As communications and political correctness were still as yet a twinkle in some white woman's eye, racial relationships of that era were rather abrasive.
Original Roll Up Flag
with Anti-Chinese Sentiment
with Anti-Chinese Sentiment
In June 1861 a mob of white Australians drove nearly 3000 Chinese miners off the Lambing Flat. The whites then received news that an anti-Chinese immigration bill was defeated and a rumor that thousands of more 'Chinamen' were on their way. The Australian police eventually arrested the leaders of the Lambing situation. A few days later on July 14, 1861 a platoon of anti-Chinese insurgents attacked a police encampment next to where the Chinese has sought refuge. One 'white' miner was reported killed. Eventually the Chinese miners were segregated and Chinese immigration was halted as it did in the US and Canada.
Although neither of these flags were intended to represent new nations, they are uniquely Australian Heritage Flags that capture essential and important events in Australian History, as much as do US Civil Wars flags do today.
One can speculate by some odd twist of fate, if these tense situations were to have gotten out of control and certain hot heads of that bygone era had their way, Australia might have become a continent with more than just one nation?
'Australian Feds' engage 'Aussie Rebels' at Burrangong-Winter July 14, 1861
(Rebels on the left Federals on the right, one 'Mellie Reb' is killed)
