With the discovery of gold, the Colonial Government had to hasten regulations to curtail and control the influx of miners to the ever expanding goldfields in the Colony, the 22 May 1851 saw the introduction of the Goldfield Proclamation effectively stating that all gold found in its natural place was the property of the Crown and anyone who continues to mine for gold on crown lands or lands not yet alienated will be prosecuted.

The following day, the 23^rd May 1851 a regulation for Licences to Dig for Gold and Search for Gold was issued, this stated that from the 1 of June 1851 no person could procure gold from public or private lands by any means without first being in the possession of a Gold License. In the case of private lands only the proprietor or a representative of that person could be authorised to obtain a license. The Fee was fixed at £1/10/0 per month in advance and subject to future change.

Restrictions were placed on the persons who could obtain a license, proof of previous service or absence from hired service were a requirement. These may have included a convict who had restrictions placed upon their movements, or a person who was under a labour contract.

Further Regulations were issued on the Additional Gold Regulations included what gold could be procured from its natural state, it removed the procurement of gold from matrix within quartz or other rock in its primordial state, forthcoming Regulations would be published which would provide an arrangement for the procurement of the gold in matrix but in the interim a royalty would be paid on what had been obtained.