‘A New Reading Public’ investigates the crucial role mechanics’ institutes played in developing a literary, social and political culture in the gold-rush communities in the Colony of Victoria, from the discovery of gold in 1851 until the federation of the Australian colonies in 1901.
Supported by the Irish Research Council (2018-19), this project is led by Dr Sarah Comyn at University College Dublin.
Cover Image: ‘Diggers of High Degree’ (1852) by S. T. Gill. Courtesy of the State Library of Victoria.
Goldfields Reading 
You must be logged in to post a comment.