April 26th, 2025Alchemy of Gold: new event to unearth our golden past
Coming up May 16-18, the The Alchemy of Gold is a new three-day forum happening in Castlemaine, and the name is a bit of a give-away.
A brand new feature event, it features three days of lectures, workshops and field trips all led by gold rush experts and celebrating the rich history of Victoria’s central goldfields.
Chairing the organising committee, Castlemaine’s Alice Matthiesson says a main aim is to increase public awareness, education and appreciation around the area’s rich goldfields heritage.
“People need to understand what a historic landscape is and why it’s so precious,” Alice says, explaining the motivation behind the new event and how it brings together multiple local heritage organisations.
The extensive list of guest speakers, many of them high profile, cover a wide range of specialist areas of interest from Chinese on the Goldfields to early goldfields mining methods, political and social upheavals to bushrangers and women on the goldfields.
“The idea is to bring the gold rush experts together for a big education forum,” Alice says.
“We were losing historical fabric and once it’s gone it’s gone. Towns like Castlemaine are at risk of over-development and thoughtless development.
“If you understand what you’ve got you perhaps look after it a bit better. We want to draw attention to local places that are important to our gold-mining history.
“We have over 40 guest speakers who are all experts in their area. The idea is we are leaving a legacy that could be repeated in two years time either here in Castlemaine or in other shires which have goldfields heritage whether they’re here or in places like Beechworth, and they could pick it up and run it.”
The new three-day long event is happening as part of the wider Australian Heritage Festival and Alice says it’s expected to increase demand for accommodation in Daylesford and surrounds as well.
More details including the full list of speakers and ticket sales can by found at www.thealchemyofgold.com.au
Alice says ticket pricing has been set low so as to be cost neutral, and it’s best not to leave it too long to book.
“For catering planning purposes we will be closing off ticket sales about a week before the event,” she advises.
Words: Eve Lamb. Images: Supplied
