Sludge: Disaster on Victoria's Goldfields

Name: Sludge: Disaster on Victoria's Goldfields
Brand: Penguin Random House NZ
SKU: 9781760641108
Price: 36.0 NZD
Availability: InStock

By Peter Davies and Susan Lawrence

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Summary

Sludge: Disaster on Victoria's Goldfields by Peter Davies and Susan Lawrence delves into the environmental impact of gold mining in Victoria's historical era. The book explores how mining debris, or "sludge," severely altered landscapes and affected communities, highlighting the clash between economic gain and environmental preservation. It's a meticulously researched examination of the lesser-known consequences of gold rushes and their legacy on the land.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$36⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$40⁰⁰~~

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Sludge: Disaster on Victoria's Goldfields

$36⁰⁰

Elsewhere:

~~$40⁰⁰~~

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you have an interest in environmental history and want to delve into the impact of mining on Victoria's goldfields. The authors, Peter Davies and Susan Lawrence, offer a detailed exploration of the environmental and social consequences of industrial activity in this region. It's a compelling read for those fascinated by the intersection of history, ecology, and economic development.

Description

The true story of Victoria's goldfields catastrophe.

Sludge: Disaster on Victoria's Goldfields

The fascinating, troubling legacy of the gold rush.

Everyone knows gold made Victoria rich. But did you know gold mining was disastrous for the land, engulfing it in floods of sand, gravel and silt that gushed out of the mines?

Or that this environmental devastation still affects our rivers and floodplains?

Victorians had a name for this mining waste: 'sludge'. Sludge submerged Victoria's best grapevines near Bendigo, filled Laanecoorie Reservoir on the Loddon River, and flowed down from Beechworth over thousands of hectares of rich agricultural land. Children and animals drowned in sludge lakes. Mining effluent contaminated three-quarters of Victoria's creeks and rivers.

Sludge is the compelling story of the forgotten filth that plagued nineteenth-century Victoria. It exposes the big dirty secret of Victoria's mining history - the way it transformed the state's water and land, and how the battle against sludge helped lay the ground for the modern environmental movement.

'A remarkable achievement' - Tom Griffiths

'A work of brilliant rediscovery and a wake-up call for our own times' - Grace Karskens

'Vividly conveys the long-term costs of short-term gains' - Billy Griffiths

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781760641108

Publisher: Black Inc.

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 August 2019

Country: Australia

Imprint: La Trobe University Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 31.0mm

Width: 154.0mm

Height: 233.0mm

Weight: 501g

Pages: 256

Collections

Education & Reference Engineering, Technology & Agriculture History & Archaeology History & Military Non-Fiction Penguin Books Peter Davies Science & Nature Susan Lawrence

About the Author

Susan Lawrence is professor of archaeology at La Trobe University and has spent thirty years studying the goldfields. She is the author of Dolly's Creek- An Archaeology of a Victorian Goldfields Community and, with Peter Davies, An Archaeology of Australia since 1788. Peter Davies is a research fellow in archaeology at La Trobe University whose work focuses on the social, industrial and environmental archaeology of colonial Australia. His previous books include Henry's Mill- The Archaeology and History of a Forest Community and An Archaeology of Australia Since 1788, with Susan Lawrence.