Letters from Australia during the goldrush period in the 1850s described life on the diggings to readers of The Illustrated London News back in England.

The following is an extract from a letter written in 1852, after the writer had spent 72 days working on the diggings at Eureka in Ballarat.

Countless people have enjoyed the dances held at the Workers’ Hall in Maryborough over the years, particularly those held on Saturday nights, but they also had a great appreciation for the musicians who presented the toe tapping music for dancing.

People who attended dances in Maryborough from the late 1930s to the 1960s all have fond memories of Charlie Cole’s Dance Band, recalling various members of the band who played during those years.

Many people from near and far have attended dances at various venues in Maryborough over the years but on April 17, an event will focus on the dances held in the Workers’ Hall in Neill Street, now known as the Tren DuBourg Hall, from 1927 until the 1960s.

The Count Bismarck Company operated a deep alluvial goldmine on the Alma Lead at Timor Creek, obtaining fairly good yields, once suitable equipment was installed to cope with the depth of the shaft and the constant flow of water.

The foundation stone of the new Workers’ Hall was laid by Cr Sam Poole on Saturday, April 9 in 1927, in the presence of more than 100 local ALP branch members.

A number of deep alluvial mines were in operation on the Alma Lead in the 1870s, yielding large quantities of gold, and the Seaham Company mine was among them.

A 25 horse power steam engine was erected on its claim when it began in 1869 and promising yields were found from a depth of 93 feet.

Maryborough High School had its beginnings in 1912, in rooms at the School of Mines, later to become the Technical School, until a new building was constructed in 1915 in Market Square.

The first magazine published by Maryborough High School was in August, 1914 and it was called The Kookaburra.

During the goldmining era, many people suffered accidents and injuries while at work, either underground or on the surface.
In those days, there was no work cover, and no assistance for the widows of men who died at their work and were left to make a living for themselves and their children.