For many years, the lure of wealth and the excitement of discovery drew prospectors from all around the world into massive gold rushes. With each new discovery of gold, tens of thousands of people rushed to the goldfields, hoping to make their fortune. But only a few ever became rich. The real wealth that came from the gold rushes only became apparent years later, when the ‘gold fever’ had subsided. The new societies that sprung up around the goldfields found themselves rich in culture, history and tradition, and those influences can still be seen in some places today.