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Issue Details: First known date: 1853... 1853 A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 : Written on the Spot
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Affiliation Notes

  • 19th-Century Australian Travel Writing

    Ellen Clacy (nee Ellen Sturmer, 1830–1901) wrote her travel narrative ‘on the spot' during her visit to the Victorian gold diggings in 1852-53. Describing the initial voyage to Australia and a visit to Melbourne, Clacy then narrates life in the Victorian bush, including camping, digging, and her general adventures, which is followed by an account of New South Wales and South Australia. Illustrated with a number of engravings, A Lady’s Visit to the Gold Diggings is written in diary form, explaining Clacy’s journey in an engaging and conversational manner. Clacy concludes her work with an appendix detailing who should emigrate to Australia, giving the characteristics of women who would be suitable to emigrate, wages for female servants, the costs, and the efficiency of the police. She commented that the colonial cities were degraded, as although buildings were proposed but there was a lack of workers to build them. After this first publication, Clacy pursued an active literary and journalistic career, sometimes using the pseudonym "Cycla", her novels include Lights and Shadows of Australian Life (1854), Passing Clouds (1858), and Aunt Dorothy's Will (1860).

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • London,
      c
      England,
      c
      c
      United Kingdom (UK),
      c
      Western Europe, Europe,
      :
      Hurst and Blackett ,
      1853 .
      image of person or book cover 7368491861193179688.png
      Link: 20349734Full text document Sighted: 07/10/2020 Link: 20349900Full text document Sighted: 07/10/2020
      Extent: 302p.

      Holdings

      Held at: Australian National University Australian National University Library
      Local Id: DU212 .C6

      Holdings

      Held at: Adelaide University Barr Smith Library
      Local Id: 919.4 C58

      Holdings

      Held at: Flinders University of South Australia
      Local Id: 919.4 C583

      Holdings

      Held at: Hawkesbury City Council Library Service Windsor Central Library
      Local Id: LP919.403 CLA

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of Tasmania State Library of Tasmania
      Local Id: AUD 919.01

      Holdings

      Held at: Monash University Monash University Library
      Local Id: 919.4 C583L

      Holdings

      Held at: National Library of Australia
      Local Id: NL 919.4 CLA

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of Victoria
      Local Id: RARELT 919.45 C51

      Holdings

      Held at: Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW
      Local Id: DSM/980.1/166A1

      Holdings

      Held at: State Library of South Australia State Library of SA
      Local Id: 994.5 C583

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Melbourne The University Library
      Local Id: GOLD CLAC

      Holdings

      Held at: University of New South Wales UNSW Library
      Local Id: V 919.45/3

      Holdings

      Held at: Southern Cross University Lismore Campus Library
      Local Id: Manning Clark 994.03 31

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Newcastle Central Coast Campus Information Resource Centre
      Local Id: 994.03 CLAC

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Queensland University of Queensland Library Fryer Library
      Local Id: DU102 .C53 1853

      Holdings

      Held at: University of Sydney The University of Sydney Library
      Local Id: RB 1553.9

      Holdings

      Held at: Australian National Maritime Museum Vaughan Evans Library
      Local Id: RARE 994.031 CLA (172256)
    • Melbourne, Victoria,: Lansdowne , 1963 .
      Extent: 160p.
      Note/s:
      • Editor's note: 'The text of book follws exactly the second edition of 1853.'

Works about this Work

‘Like Volcanoes on the Ranges’ : How Australian Bushfire Writing Has Changed with the Climate Grace Moore , 2019 single work column
— Appears in: The Conversation , 13 November 2019;

'Bushfire writing has long been a part of Australian literature.

'Tales of heroic rescues and bush Christmases describe a time when the fire season was confined only to summer months and Australia’s battler identity was forged in the flames.' (Introduction)

A Lady Digger and a Few "Drunk and disorderly nights" : The Intrusion of Romance in Ellen Clacy's A Lady's Visit to The Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 Debbie Zeraschi , 1999 single work criticism
— Appears in: A Fringe of Papers : Offshore Perspectives on Australian History and Literature 1999; (p. 31-48)
Settlers and Diggers Bryn Davies , 1963 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , November vol. 3 no. 1 1963; (p. 32)

— Review of Harry Heathcote of Gangoil : A Tale of Australian Bush Life Anthony Trollope , 1873 single work novel ; A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 : Written on the Spot Ellen Clacy , 1853 single work autobiography
Golden Days M. R. Ellis , 1963 single work review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 9 November vol. 85 no. 4369 1963; (p. 47-49)

— Review of Harry Heathcote of Gangoil : A Tale of Australian Bush Life Anthony Trollope , 1873 single work novel ; A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 : Written on the Spot Ellen Clacy , 1853 single work autobiography
Golden Days M. R. Ellis , 1963 single work review
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 9 November vol. 85 no. 4369 1963; (p. 47-49)

— Review of Harry Heathcote of Gangoil : A Tale of Australian Bush Life Anthony Trollope , 1873 single work novel ; A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 : Written on the Spot Ellen Clacy , 1853 single work autobiography
Settlers and Diggers Bryn Davies , 1963 single work review
— Appears in: Australian Book Review , November vol. 3 no. 1 1963; (p. 32)

— Review of Harry Heathcote of Gangoil : A Tale of Australian Bush Life Anthony Trollope , 1873 single work novel ; A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 : Written on the Spot Ellen Clacy , 1853 single work autobiography
A Lady Digger and a Few "Drunk and disorderly nights" : The Intrusion of Romance in Ellen Clacy's A Lady's Visit to The Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-1853 Debbie Zeraschi , 1999 single work criticism
— Appears in: A Fringe of Papers : Offshore Perspectives on Australian History and Literature 1999; (p. 31-48)
‘Like Volcanoes on the Ranges’ : How Australian Bushfire Writing Has Changed with the Climate Grace Moore , 2019 single work column
— Appears in: The Conversation , 13 November 2019;

'Bushfire writing has long been a part of Australian literature.

'Tales of heroic rescues and bush Christmases describe a time when the fire season was confined only to summer months and Australia’s battler identity was forged in the flames.' (Introduction)

Last amended 7 Oct 2020 09:43:41
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