Books and manuscripts relating to the Australian gold rushes. A wide range of material is included, encompassing legal and technical reports, geological surveys, the art of prospecting, day-to-day life on the goldfields and social history of the era. Most are from the gold-rush era of the mid-nineteenth century, although a few later items relate to prospecting in northern Australia and central desert geological surveys. A handful of fictional works, including stories for children, are also included for good measure.

Of particular historical importance are the official reports into the Eureka stockade, and material relating to the history of Chinese miners on the Australian fields.