Under the constellation of the Southern Cross people gathered at the Eureka Monument in Eureka Park at 4am on December 3, 2013 to remember the sacrifice made 159 years ago to fight to defend rights and liberties. It was the Southern Cross that inspired the Eureka Flag, or as it was known in 1854, 'the Australian Flag'.

I have been coming to these vigils for several years and at last have captured the Eureka Dawn Vigil under the Southern Cross. Often it is too cloudy, or the light wasn't right, or my camera wasn't up to the job, or I just haven't noticed the framing opportunity.

The 159th anniversary of Eureka Stockade rebellion was commemorated with a day long series of events organised by the Anarchist Media Institute from a 4am dawn vigil, Eureka Awards ceremeny at Bakery Hill, a long march through the streets of Ballarat to the Old Ballarat Cemetery, a visit to the Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka to see the Eureka Flag finally brought home to it's origins in Eureka Park, the site of the Eureaka Stockade; and concluding with a dinner at the Eureka Stockade Hotel with a guest speaker: Dr. Anne Beggs-Sunter on the topic of ‘Eureka plays and films over the years’.