In the beginning, the workers exploited the gold with the technique called "gold

panning". The traditional technique consists of using a container in the shape of a

Chinese hat, into which the gold digger deposits a shovelful of stones. By shaking the
pan in a certain way, he creates a current of water that will move the light particles
such as sands and clays. While the "heavy" materials like gold remain at the bottom
of the muck. After successively eliminating the useless materials, the gold digger can
recover the gold remaining at the bottom of the pan, generally in the form of tiny
flakes.

Then they used a technique to go faster and mine more gold. They used the gold
mines. The miners dug large holes and then descended into them with an elevator, a
sort of cage, to dig and mine the gold with a pickaxe during the day.

Living conditions on the goldfields were harsh for everyone. To reach the goldfields,
prospectors usually had to travel long distances on foot. Once they arrived, they had
to set up tents for shelter.Many people became disillusioned with life on the
goldfields. The typical digger’s diet was restricted and repetitive.Clean drinking
water was hard to find. The poor living conditions on the goldfields made it difficult
to stay healthy. Infectious diseases spread easily through the settlements.Mining was
a dangerous pursuit, and accidents were common. Diggers were trapped by collapsing
mine shafts and injured by machinery. They were also exposed to poisonous gases in
mine tunnels. Many mining accidents were deadly. In the town of Ballarat alone, one
miner was killed in an accident on average every week in 1859.