Gold Fields of Australia (1853)

The game combines the spectacle of daily life on the gold fields with the element of luck, in which the player can make a fortune. This is a rare example of nineteenth century board game made in England with an Australian theme. The illustrations and story of the game informed players of living conditions in Australia and provided entertainment of a kind most suited to Victorian society. Libraries Australia describes this game as follows: "Children's game, consisting of a handcoloured, lithographed sheet mounted on linen. The game begins at no. 1 aboard a steamship bound for Australia, and ends at no. 25 in a goldfields tent town with digge[r]s returning home with gold nuggets." http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/19840010