Victoria

Victoria is the smallest mainland state and occupies the south-eastern corner of Australia. However, the state is the second most populous in Australia and the most densely populated state. From humble beginnings as a farming community the discovery of gold in 1851 led to a rapid growth and quickly transformed Victoria into a leading financial centre. The gold was originally discovered near Ballarat, but further sites were discovered, leading to one of the largest gold rushes in history. In a ten-year period after the first discovery Victoria's population increased from just over 75,000 to close to 550,000. It is estimated that Victoria was supplying about 1/3 of the world's gold in the period between 1850 and 1860. In contemporary Victoria, the importance of gold is significantly diminished and the state capital Melbourne has taken over the throne as the most important city in Victoria after Ballarat and Bendigo. Melbourne is the home of about 70% of Victorian and is knowns as the financial, cultural and sporting hub of Australia.