Chinese on the Goldfields
From the early 1850's, Chinese diggers arrived at the goldfields in large numbers. As news was sent back to their family and friends, more and more came to try their luck. In two years, the number of Chinese on the Ballarat diggings almost doubled from 5000 in 1856 to 9000 in 1858.
Unlike most other nationalities, Chinese miners stood out mainly because they dressed so differently. They wore huge hats, blue padded jackets, wide pants and white socks. They each carried a long bamboo pole over their shoulder with heavy baskets bouncing on either end.
They also differed in the way they searched for gold. Unlike most diggers who worked alone or in small groups, one to two hundred Chinese prospected together. They also lived and ate together, and rarely had women living and working with them. The Chinese miners did not usually open up new mining areas. They patiently reworked old ones that the Europeans had left behind.
Miners' concerns about the number of Chinese on the goldfields led governments in Victoria and New South Wales to attempt to restrict their arrival and activities. This was done by:
To avoid these restrictions, Chinese diggers landed at the seaside town of Robe in South Australia. They then had to travel hundreds of miles to the Victorian diggings on foot or by coach.
The Chinese were treated badly on the goldfields. The other miners were prejudiced against them because they were different. The Chinese worked hard and often found gold left behind by other diggers. The miners did not attempt to understand them or their way of life. The Government and other miners made life very difficult for the Chinese, to the point where they were burning their tents, cutting off their sacred pony tails, stealing their gold and violently attacking them.
Most Chinese miners went home once the gold rushes were over. Those who stayed often found work as market gardeners, supplying their region with fresh fruit and vegetables.
Unlike most other nationalities, Chinese miners stood out mainly because they dressed so differently. They wore huge hats, blue padded jackets, wide pants and white socks. They each carried a long bamboo pole over their shoulder with heavy baskets bouncing on either end.
They also differed in the way they searched for gold. Unlike most diggers who worked alone or in small groups, one to two hundred Chinese prospected together. They also lived and ate together, and rarely had women living and working with them. The Chinese miners did not usually open up new mining areas. They patiently reworked old ones that the Europeans had left behind.
Miners' concerns about the number of Chinese on the goldfields led governments in Victoria and New South Wales to attempt to restrict their arrival and activities. This was done by:
- asking ship owners to pay 10 pounds (about $1240 today) for every Chinese passenger arriving in NSW and VIC
- making the Chinese pay a "protection fee" of 1 pound ($124 today) a year on the Goldfields
- forcing the Chinese to live in special villages apart from other miners
To avoid these restrictions, Chinese diggers landed at the seaside town of Robe in South Australia. They then had to travel hundreds of miles to the Victorian diggings on foot or by coach.
The Chinese were treated badly on the goldfields. The other miners were prejudiced against them because they were different. The Chinese worked hard and often found gold left behind by other diggers. The miners did not attempt to understand them or their way of life. The Government and other miners made life very difficult for the Chinese, to the point where they were burning their tents, cutting off their sacred pony tails, stealing their gold and violently attacking them.
Most Chinese miners went home once the gold rushes were over. Those who stayed often found work as market gardeners, supplying their region with fresh fruit and vegetables.
Activity Time
Collect a "Cause and Effect" worksheet from your teacher. Cut out each of the causes and each of the effects. Match them up and paste them in your history book.
A) Imagine you are living in Australia in the 1850's. Write a letter to the editor for your local newspaper expressing your opinion on the treatment of the Chinese people on the goldfields (at least one page).
B) Log on to Storybird and create a story depicting what life was like for the Chinese people working on the goldfields.
A) Imagine you are living in Australia in the 1850's. Write a letter to the editor for your local newspaper expressing your opinion on the treatment of the Chinese people on the goldfields (at least one page).
B) Log on to Storybird and create a story depicting what life was like for the Chinese people working on the goldfields.