Hiscock's gold rush began on 12 August 1851 following the publication in the Geelong Advertiser of Thomas Hiscock's gold findings at Hiscock's, 3 kilometres west of Buninyong (now Magpie, approximately 10 kilometres south of Eureka).
 Just days later on 16 August 1851, Lieutenant-Governor Latrobe proclaimed in the Government Gazette crown rights for all mining proceeds and a licence fee of 30 shillings per month effective from 1 September 1851.

On 26 August, a rally of 40–50 miners opposing the fee was held at Hiscock's gully – the first of many such protests in the colony.
The miners opposed government policies of oppression including the licence fee, and put forward four resolutions to this effect.
This first meeting was followed by dissent across the colony's mining settlements.

In December the government announced that it intended to triple the licence fee from £1 to £3 a month, from 1 January 1852.
This move incited protests around the colony, including the Forest Creek Monster Meeting of December 1851.
In Ballarat, as historian Weston Bate noted, diggers became so agitated that they began to gather arms.
The government hastily repealed its plans due to the reaction.

Nevertheless, the oppressive licence hunts continued and increased in frequency causing general dissent among the diggers.
In addition, Weston Bate noted that the Ballarat diggings were in strong opposition to the strict liquor licensing laws imposed by the government.

Changes to the Goldfields Act in 1853 allowed licence searches to occur at any time which further incensed the diggers.
In Bendigo in 1853, an Anti-Gold Licence Association was formed and the miners were apparently on the brink of an armed clash with authorities.
Again in 1854, Bendigo miners responded to an increase in the frequency of twice weekly licence hunts with threats of armed rebellion.
Hiscock's gold rush began on 12 August 1851 following the publication in the Geelong Advertiser of Thomas Hiscock's gold findings at Hiscock's, 3 kilometres west of Buninyong (now Magpie, approximately 10 kilometres south of Eureka).  Just days later on 16 August 1851, Lieutenant-Governor Latrobe proclaimed in the Government Gazette crown rights for all mining proceeds and a licence fee of 30 shillings per month effective from 1 September 1851.
On 26 August, a rally of 40–50 miners opposing the fee was held at Hiscock's gully – the first of many such protests in the colony. The miners opposed government policies of oppression including the licence fee, and put forward four resolutions to this effect. This first meeting was followed by dissent across the colony's mining settlements.
In December the government announced that it intended to triple the licence fee from £1 to £3 a month, from 1 January 1852. This move incited protests around the colony, including the Forest Creek Monster Meeting of December 1851. In Ballarat, as historian Weston Bate noted, diggers became so agitated that they began to gather arms. The government hastily repealed its plans due to the reaction.
Nevertheless, the oppressive licence hunts continued and increased in frequency causing general dissent among the diggers. In addition, Weston Bate noted that the Ballarat diggings were in strong opposition to the strict liquor licensing laws imposed by the government.
Changes to the Goldfields Act in 1853 allowed licence searches to occur at any time which further incensed the diggers. In Bendigo in 1853, an Anti-Gold Licence Association was formed and the miners were apparently on the brink of an armed clash with authorities. Again in 1854, Bendigo miners responded to an increase in the frequency of twice weekly licence hunts with threats of armed rebellion.
Eureka Rebellion