Lexi Webster
The Chinese have had a long and continuing role in the history of Australia. The first Chinese settler, Mak Sai Ying (also known as John Shying), arrived in 1818. The first official wave of Chinese migration started in 1840, with most early Chinese immigrants coming from the Pearl River Delta in South China. The Australian Gold Rushes of the 19th century lured many Chinese to the country, with around 7,000 Chinese people coming to work at the Araluen gold fields in southern NSW. By 1861, there were around 40,000 Chinese people living in Australia, constituting 3.3% of the total population. The Chinese community faced significant racism and resentment from the European population, which led to restrictive legislation and the White Australia Policy, which made it almost impossible for anyone to migrate from China to Australia. Despite these challenges, the Chinese community continued to contribute to Australia's social, economic, and cultural development, with Chinatowns springing up across the country and Chinese Australians becoming one of the largest groups within the global Chinese diaspora.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First official wave of migration | 1840 |
| Earliest known Chinese immigrant | Mak Sai Ying (John Shying) |
| Year of arrival of the earliest known Chinese immigrant | 1818 |
| Place of arrival of the earliest known Chinese immigrant | Port Jackson |
| Ship that carried the earliest known Chinese immigrant | Laurel |
| Number of Chinese people in Australia in 1861 | 40,000 (3.3% of the total population) |
| Number of Chinese women in Australia in the 1860s | 12 |
| Number of Chinese people in Australia at the time of Australian Federation | 29,000 |
| Number of Chinese people in Victoria between 1853 and 1855 | Over 10,000 |
| Number of Chinese people in Victoria by 1858 | 42,000 |
| Number of Chinese people in Melbourne in 1855 | 11,493 |
| Number of Chinese women in Australia in 1880 | Less than 100 |
| Number of Chinese men in Australia in 1880 | 10,000 |
| Percentage of people with Chinese ancestry in Australia's population in 2021 | 5.5% |
| Occupations of Chinese people in Australia in the 1890s | Scrub cutters, interpreters, cooks, tobacco farmers, launderers, market gardeners, cabinet-makers, storekeepers, drapers, gold seekers, merchants, fishermen, furniture makers, market vendors, shopkeepers, carpenters, clerks |
| Industries for Chinese people in Australia | Mining, agriculture, fishing, banana trade, tin mining, import trade, laundry operations, medicine |
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What You'll Learn
Chinese Migration to Australia
The history of Chinese migration to Australia dates back to the early 19th century, with the first officially recorded Chinese migrant, Mak Sai Ying (also known as John Shying), arriving in 1818. John Shying was a free settler who purchased land and became a prominent publican in Parramatta. Early Chinese migration to Australia was sporadic and consisted primarily of free merchants, adventurers, and indentured labourers.
The first significant wave of Chinese migration to Australia occurred during the Gold Rush period in the mid-19th century. News of the gold rush in Australia reached southern China, luring thousands of Chinese gold seekers to the Australian colonies. Most of these immigrants were men from southern China, fleeing poverty, overpopulation, and political instability. By the 1850s, there was a notable influx of Chinese migrants to the Colony of Victoria, with official records showing over 10,000 Chinese arrivals between 1853 and 1855.
The arrival of large numbers of Chinese gold seekers caused alarm among politicians and European gold seekers in the colony. This led to the passage of restrictive acts and policies aimed at curtailing Chinese immigration. In 1855, the Victorian parliament passed the Chinese Restriction Act, imposing a £10 poll tax and limiting the number of Chinese passengers per ship. Despite these restrictions, the Chinese community continued to grow and establish Chinatowns in major areas, such as the goldfields and cities like Sydney and Melbourne.
By the 1880s and 1890s, Chinese Australians were represented in a wide variety of occupations, including mining, agriculture, fishing, furniture making, import-export businesses, and various service industries. However, rising anti-Chinese sentiment in cities led to further restrictive acts and contributed to the drive for the Federation of Australia. The Immigration Restriction Act of 1901, also known as the White Australia Policy, significantly halted Chinese migration and was not fully repealed until the 1970s.
In recent decades, trade links with China have strengthened, and migration has resumed. Today, the China-born population is the third-largest migrant group in Australia, and Chinese Australians continue to make significant contributions to the country's social, economic, and cultural development.
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Chinese Contributions to Australia's Economy
The Chinese have made significant contributions to Australia's economy, with their presence in the country dating back to the early 19th century. The earliest known Chinese immigrant, Mak Sai Ying (also known as John Shying), arrived in Sydney in 1818. He purchased land, became a farmer, and later the publican of "The Lion" in Parramatta.
However, the significant influx of Chinese immigrants to Australia began with the Gold Rush in the 1850s. Thousands of Chinese men from Southern China were lured by the promise of gold, arriving in New South Wales and Victoria. They often worked in organised groups, and their success in gold mining caused resentment among European miners, leading to violent demonstrations and restrictive legislation.
Despite the challenges, the Chinese community in Australia persevered and contributed to various industries. By the 1890s, they were represented in a wide range of occupations, including scrub cutters, interpreters, cooks, tobacco farmers, launderers, market gardeners, storekeepers, and drapers. They were also involved in the fishing industry.
Chinese migrants played a crucial role in the agriculture industry, working as market gardeners and farmhands. They established small grocery stores and fruit and vegetable businesses in rural towns. In cities, they engaged in import-export businesses, laundry operations, cabinet making, and medicine. Melbourne's furniture-making industry was once dominated by the Chinese, with 175 firms producing and selling Chinese-made furniture.
Chinatowns sprang up across Australia, particularly in major areas like the goldfields and cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. These Chinatowns became hubs of economic activity, with businesses such as eateries, groceries, markets, and laundries. The Chinese became the main suppliers of products like tea, furniture, silk, and food for the colonies.
Today, the China-born population is the third-largest migrant group in Australia. Many Chinese immigrants come from professional backgrounds, including doctors, business investors, and scholars. The Chinese community continues to be visible and influential in Australia's economy, with their strong work ethic and drive for success contributing to their achievements in various sectors.
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Chinese Culture in Australia
Chinese Australians are one of the largest groups within the global Chinese diaspora and are the largest Asian Australian community. Per capita, Australia has more people of Chinese ancestry than any country outside Asia. As a whole, Australian residents identifying as having Chinese ancestry made up 5.5% of Australia's population in the 2021 census.
The first officially recorded Chinese migrant was Mak Sai Ying (also known as John Shying), who arrived in Sydney in 1818. The first official wave of Chinese migration started in 1840, though about 18 early Chinese settlers had immigrated two decades prior. The average voyage from Canton via Hong Kong to Sydney and Melbourne took about three months. The Australian Gold Rushes of the 1850s lured many Chinese to the country, and they became the main suppliers of products like tea, furniture, silk, and food for the colonies. By 1861, there were around 40,000 Chinese people living in Australia, constituting 3.3% of the total population.
Chinatowns sprang up across Australia, particularly in the goldfields, where the Chinese migrants worked. Many businesses opened in these Chinatowns, including eateries, groceries, markets, laundries, and furniture stores. Melbourne's Chinatown, established during the gold rush in the 1850s, is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere and the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the Western world.
During this time, many Chinese cultural and religious organisations and institutions were established, and Chinese New Year celebrations became popular in Australia. Chinese Australians were, however, not widely welcomed by the Australian public during the early years of migration. Government policy restricted their immigration from around the 1850s, and then significantly halted it with the imposition of the White Australia Policy. In 1888, the government passed the Chinese Restriction and Regulation Act to 'protect the Colony from dangers of Chinese immigration'. This resulted in a rising drive for the Federation of Australia, with politicians and the public fearing the Chinese 'pest' or 'menace'.
By the 1890s, Chinese people in Australia were represented in a wide variety of occupations, including scrub cutters, interpreters, cooks, tobacco farmers, launderers, market gardeners, cabinet-makers, storekeepers, drapers, and fishermen. By the time of Australian Federation, there were around 29,000 ethnic Chinese in Australia, with significant groups in the capital cities of Sydney and Melbourne, running numerous stores, import trades, societies, and several Chinese-language newspapers.
Today, the China-born population is the third-largest migrant population in Australia. Many Chinese immigrants come from professional backgrounds, including doctors, business investors, and scholars. Many also live in the main cities temporarily as students or tourists. The Chinese community continues to flourish through its many organisations and institutions, including the famous Chinatowns found in most states and capital cities.
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Anti-Chinese Sentiment in Australia
Anti-Chinese sentiment, or Sinophobia, in Australia has a long history, with roots in the 19th century. The first official wave of Chinese migration to Australia started in 1840, with Chinese immigrants seeking better lives, leaving overpopulation and poverty in China. However, the arrival of large numbers of Chinese immigrants during this period caused alarm among Australian politicians and gold seekers.
19th Century Anti-Chinese Sentiment
In 1855, the Victorian parliament passed the Chinese Restriction Act to curb Chinese immigration. The Act included measures such as a £10 poll tax on Chinese immigrants and limits on the number of Chinese passengers per ship, which reduced the profitability of shipowners and increased fares. This was followed by another round of restrictive Acts in New South Wales in 1881 and 1888, as more Chinese immigrants moved from rural areas into cities like Melbourne and Sydney, leading to a rise in anti-Chinese sentiment in these urban centres.
Early 20th Century and Contemporary Anti-Chinese Sentiment
In 1901, the Australian government passed another Immigration Restriction Act, which required new arrivals to undergo a language dictation test, expected to be failed by most, thus reducing immigration. This Act was passed during a time when anti-Chinese policies were also being implemented in other parts of the English-speaking world, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act and similar immigration restrictions in the United States and the policies of Richard Seddon in New Zealand.
COVID-19 Pandemic and Anti-Chinese Sentiment
More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in anti-Chinese and anti-Asian sentiment in Australia. Studies conducted during the pandemic highlighted a sharp decline in public opinion towards China and a perceived increase in discrimination against Asian individuals. Nearly one in five Chinese Australians experienced physical racist assaults during this period, and community groups received numerous self-reported racist incidents, mostly affecting women.
The pandemic, coupled with political rhetoric from figures like Donald Trump and a souring trade relationship between Australia and China, contributed to a 'creeping distrust' of Australians of Chinese heritage. This resulted in threats and racist attacks, impacting the political representation and voices of Asian Australians.
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Chinese Australians Today
Many Chinese immigrants to Australia come from professional backgrounds, including doctors, business investors, and scholars. There is also a large number of Chinese students and tourists in Australia. The Chinese community continues to flourish through its many organisations and institutions, including the famous Chinatowns found in most states and capital cities. Melbourne's Chinatown, for example, is the oldest in the Southern Hemisphere and the longest continuous Chinese settlement in the Western world.
The Chinese migrant community in Australia is often highly visible in competitive circumstances. Chinese Australians are often among the first in line for the release of new technology, or they are noticed as high achievers in universities and schools. This has produced a stereotype of the Chinese in Western culture. However, this behaviour is related to the concept of 'kiasu', the "fear of losing". Kiasu motivates people to achieve in everyday life—socially, economically, or academically. Many Chinese immigrants feel it is particularly important to succeed overseas, given the sacrifice and expectations that have been involved in their move to Australia.
The recent turbulence in Australia-China relations has negatively impacted the Chinese Australian community, which has been increasingly targeted by xenophobic attitudes. Chinese people have a long and continuing role in Australian history, and the contributions of the Chinese to Australia's social, economic, and cultural development cannot be underestimated.
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Frequently asked questions
The first Chinese settlers came to Australia in large numbers during the Gold Rush period in the 1850s. They worked in the goldfields and did a lot of the hard, physical agricultural work that was required as the colony continued to grow.
By the 1890s, Chinese people in Australia worked in a wide variety of occupations, including scrub cutters, interpreters, cooks, tobacco farmers, launderers, market gardeners, cabinet-makers, storekeepers, drapers, and clerks.
The Chinese community in Australia faced challenges such as anti-Chinese sentiment, restrictive legislation, and racism. There was a rise in anti-Chinese sentiment in the cities of Melbourne and Sydney in the 1880s, which led to restrictive Acts in NSW in 1881 and 1888.
The Chinese community established Chinatowns in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne, which became hubs of business and cultural activity. They introduced Chinese New Year celebrations, which became popular in Australia. They also contributed to the import trade, societies, and Chinese language newspapers.
The China-born population is the third-largest migrant population in Australia today. The Chinese community continues to flourish through various organisations and institutions. They are often visible in competitive circumstances, achieving academic and economic success. However, recent turbulence in Australia-China relations has led to the community being targeted by xenophobic attitudes.
