[3] Starring Chips Rafferty, it was produced by Ealing Studios and directed by Harry Watt, following their success with The Overlanders.

In 1854 Ballarat, civil engineer Peter Lalor arrives to prospect for gold with his Italian friend Rafaello Carboni.

At the court case the authorities are over-confident of a guilty verdict against the ring-leaders – which would mean the death penalty.

The film ends at a public auction of farmland at Ballarat where Lalor makes the winning bid.

Rienits wrote that "except for spasmodic attempts to keep its memory alive by a few minor enthusiasts, whose crusading zeal outweighed their writing skill, it has been an almost dead chapter in our history for many years.

"[7] This changed during World War II, with six publications in six years on the rebellion: two re-issues of Raffaello Carboni's account of the rebellion, Eureka Stockade (one with a preface by Doc Evatt); a novel by Rienits, Who Would Be Free (1944); a play by Louis Esson about the battle, Southern Cross (1946); a biography of Peter Lalor by Clive Turnbull; and a play by Les Haylen, Blood on the Wattle.

For there can be little doubt that the crackle of musketry in the early dawn of Sunday, 3 December 1854, was a fanfare that heralded the democratic way of life we know today.

"[10] Following the success of The Overlanders (1946), Ealing Studios were keen for Harry Watt to make another film in Australia.

Rex Rienits claimed he had heard Watt wanted to make a historical picture, and sent the director a manuscript about Eureka Stockade while the latter was in London.

[11] In September 1946 Watt said he had commissioned Jon Cleary to write a melodrama set in Sydney after the war about an RAF veteran who gets into trouble.

Other topics he was interested in included Eureka Stockade and other Gold Rushes, Kalgoorlie, bushrangers, explorers like MacDougall Stuart or Burke and Wills, or the story of an outback family.

Before he left, he said the plan was to make one film a year, and that the leading subjects were Eureka Stockade, a bushranger story, or the tale of a young RAF soldier emigrating to Australia.

"[14] By the time Watt arrived in Australia, a few days later, he said his next film would be about Eureka Stockade and would star Chips Rafferty as Peter Lalor, with a script based on the research of Rex Rienits.

[15] He added: I want to make, in The Eureka Stockade, a kind of film that has not been made before—an historical documentary.

The history of the Eureka Stockade is unknown in England, and every person to whom I showed the historical material is vastly enthusiastic about it.

[16]A few days later Les Haylen said he was part of a syndicate that intended to make a rival film about Eurkea Stockade.

[24] The first draft of the script was written by Walter Greenwood, Watt and associate producer Leslie Norman during the voyage from England to Australia in February–March 1947.

[28] Although Chips Rafferty had been in two recent hits, The Overlanders and Bush Christmas, his casting as Lalor was criticised almost immediately.

[29] In March 1947 Ealing announced the actors supporting Rafferty would include John McCallum (an Australian then based in England) as Commissioner Rede, Jack Lambert, and Gordon Jackson.

[35] Finch announced shortly afterwards that he was seeking 16 Chinese to play coolies but "He's convinced now that Australia's Chinese are too well off to want to play a bit part in a film"[36] In late October 1947 Watt announced the cast, after a reported 150 screen tests, 200 auditions and 250 interviews: the leads would be played by Rafferty and Jane Barrett of England; Jack Lambert, Gordon Jackson and Peter Illing would be imported from England for support roles; Australians in the cast would be Grant Taylor (Milne), Peter Finch (Humfray), John Cazabon (newspaper editor), John Fegan (Hayes), Sydney Loder (Vern), Kevin Brennan (Black), Paul Delmar (Ross), John Wiltshire (Father Smythe), Al Thomas (Scobie), Marshall Crosby (postmaster Sullivan), Ron Whelan (hotel keeper Bentley), Nigel Lovell (Capt.

[39] In November 1947 Peter Illing, Jack Lambert and Gordon Jackson left England for Australia to play roles.

They were accompanied by screen tests for the one remaining role to be cast out of England, the part of Sir Charles Hotham.

[42] Production was threatened when Actor's Equity placed a black ban on film contracts issued by Ealing Studios, Columbia Pictures Ltd. and Charles Chavel.

When Watt returned to Australia in April 1947 he was accompanied by Leslie Norman, who would be assistant producer, screenwriter Walter Greenwood, Charles Woolveridge, Ealing art director, and Tom Shenton, make-up expert.

[30] Watt said "This is going to be an entertainment film, but we want to show how the story of this pathetic little movement of men fighting for their rights as citizens was really a vital part of the development of the Australian Commonwealth.

[50] Because the country around Ballarat was no longer suitable, an alternative location was found in a valley near Singleton, New South Wales.

The unit encountered a great deal of unfavourable weather, particularly rain and intense heat, forcing them to quickly get behind schedule.

[55] During filming Watt was dissatisfied with Chips Rafferty's performance; Leslie Norman suggested they replace him with Peter Finch who had a small support role.

According to Filmink "The Eureka Stockade story is one of those historical tales which sounds exciting (hotels burning down, troops storming forts, Peter Lalor losing an arm and romancing a teacher), but is actually tricky to adapt – at the end of the day, the drama does boils down to “Pay your mining licence!” vs “I’m not paying a mining licence!”.

"[72] Ealing wound back its Australian production plans, including a proposed version of Robbery Under Arms.