By the early 1850s, news of a gold rush in Australia had reached southern China, sparking an influx in Chinese migration to Australia. It is thought that approximately 7000 Chinese people came to work at the Araluen gold fields in southern NSW.
The Chinese miners often worked in organised groups of 30 to 100 men under the direction of a leader, which resulted in their gold digging efforts being very successful. Conflict between the Chinese and Europeans on the goldfields stemmed from the European miners’ resentment of these successes. This ongoing tension and resentment from the European gold miners came to a head in the Lambing Flat Riots, a series of violent anti-Chinese demonstrations in the Burrangong region of NSW. (Source: http://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/) |
Chinese MinersIn 1861, there were more than 24,000 Chinese immigrants on the Victorian goldfields of Ararat, Ballarat, Beechworth, Bendigo, Castlemaine and Maryborough. There were over 11,000 Chinese on the New South Wales goldfields of Armidale, Bathurst, Binalong, Braidwood, Burrangong, Lambing Flat (Young), Carcoar, Lachlan, Mudgee, Tambaroora, Tamworth and Tumut.
In the 1870s there was an influx of Chinese miners to Queensland after the discovery of gold in the Palmer and Hodgkinson rivers and in Cooktown. Chinese miners not only worked gold but also other metals such as tin, copper and wolfram. (Source: http://www.nma.gov.au/) |
Cultural Clash |
Chinese miners in Australia were generally peaceful and industrious but other miners distrusted their different customs and traditions, and their habits of opium smoking and gambling. Animosity (hate), fuelled by resentment (fear and anger) and wild rumours, led to riots against the Chinese miners.
Most Chinese were devout Buddhists or Taoists and their religious practices marked them as idol-worshippers in the eyes of the Europeans. As a result they were subject to racial profiling and stereotyping. Their different dress, manners and attitudes clashed severely with European ideas of what was `normal'. Another reason for Europeans' dislike of the Chinese was their wastage of water. Water was in short supply and Chinese mining methods involved heavy use of water. Despite cautions on their use of water, the Chinese persisted with their original methods. Their mining methods were also distinctly different. The Chinese would create a round mineshaft, which frequently produced greater rewards. It is thought that they built round mineshafts to combat their superstition that evil spirits lurked in corners. The Chinese established small sub-communities within the goldfields. They would take over a claim and then work together in large teams, often family groups. A major source of anger and resentment for the European miners was the Chinese miners' success in finding gold. The Chinese frequently took over claims that had been worked by European miners. Whereas European miners would often abandon a claim if they did not quickly find gold, the Chinese would patiently pore over abandoned claims, sifting through piles of rocks and earth. Persistence frequently paid off; they often found rich amounts of gold in the abandoned diggings. (Source: www.nma.gov.au, swkirk.com.au) |
Anti-Chinese Violence |
Chinese miners outnumber European miners by at least three to one at the Buckland River goldfields in Victoria. This sparks racial tensions culminating in a violent anti-Chinese riot in which at least three Chinese miners are killed.
The Chinese practice of sending gold back to China indicated their intention of eventually returning home. However, it also created dissatisfaction and jealousy among the European diggers. In 1857, 205,464 ounces of gold were shipped to Canton. Although the Chinese kept to themselves and were generally hard-working and law-abiding, their presence caused resentment amongst the Europeans, especially as Chinese numbers increased. By the middle of 1854 there were 4,000 Chinese immigrants on the Australian goldfields, this increased to 10,000 early in 1855 and 17,000 by the middle of the year. The European objections to the Chinese were both racist and economic.The criticisms included:
European miners were angered by an increasing Chinese presence in the fields, and on several occasions violently lashed out at the Chinese camps in an attempt to drive them away. In some instances, full scale rioting resulted as angry Europeans attacked the Chinese diggers in "roll ups". Colonial authorities were at a loss to control the violence. (Source: http://prov.vic.gov.au/ and www.museumvictoria.com.au) |
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Lambing Flat Roll Up / Riots
By far one of the most notorious episodes in Australia's gold rush period, or at any time in its history for that matter, was the Lambing Flat riots. Chinese miners were frequently harassed and attacked, but this violent resentment came to a head in the Lambing Flat Riots of 1861.
Angered by the growing Chinese presence on the goldfields and by their successful prospecting, large groups of European and American miners armed with picks, whips, sticks and knives converged in a rowdy gathering called a 'Roll Up', on 30 June 1861. They marched upon the Chinese area of the diggings to drive them away from the goldfields for good.
Fuelled by alcohol and racism, the Europeans pitched into the largely defenceless Chinese miners, beating them, burning their tents and plundering their supplies. Any gold that was found was seized. Several Chinese were killed and scores were injured. Panic-stricken Chinese miners were forced to flee for their lives across the river. Some were taken in and defended by sympathetic European diggers and landowners.
The Lambing Flat riots went on for several weeks. During this period, many Chinese miners were beaten and severely injured. Their long pigtails, known as queues, were cut off. In several cases they were cruelly scalped. They were robbed of any gold they had found, and most of their mining equipment was stolen or destroyed. Those who tried to hide their gold in mineshafts were frequently buried alive.
Order was only restored after the military intervened and quelled the rebellion. Several ringleaders of the riots were arrested and tried, but out of the many arrests that were made, only one person was actually convicted and jailed. Mass protests at the arrests of ringleaders led to them being released, many without charge.
(Source: Skwirk.com.au)
Angered by the growing Chinese presence on the goldfields and by their successful prospecting, large groups of European and American miners armed with picks, whips, sticks and knives converged in a rowdy gathering called a 'Roll Up', on 30 June 1861. They marched upon the Chinese area of the diggings to drive them away from the goldfields for good.
Fuelled by alcohol and racism, the Europeans pitched into the largely defenceless Chinese miners, beating them, burning their tents and plundering their supplies. Any gold that was found was seized. Several Chinese were killed and scores were injured. Panic-stricken Chinese miners were forced to flee for their lives across the river. Some were taken in and defended by sympathetic European diggers and landowners.
The Lambing Flat riots went on for several weeks. During this period, many Chinese miners were beaten and severely injured. Their long pigtails, known as queues, were cut off. In several cases they were cruelly scalped. They were robbed of any gold they had found, and most of their mining equipment was stolen or destroyed. Those who tried to hide their gold in mineshafts were frequently buried alive.
Order was only restored after the military intervened and quelled the rebellion. Several ringleaders of the riots were arrested and tried, but out of the many arrests that were made, only one person was actually convicted and jailed. Mass protests at the arrests of ringleaders led to them being released, many without charge.
(Source: Skwirk.com.au)
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