Chinese history

During the 1850s, thousands of Chinese miners came to Victoria to prospect for gold. By 1855 nearly 19,000 Chinese had landed in the colony, and by 1857 the population had risen to 26,000. They left a remarkable legacy.

Discover Victoria's Chinese heritage
Visit Bendigo’s Chinese quarter and explore the Golden Dragon Museum and classical gardens for an excellent introduction to the region’s Chinese heritage. The museum contains an extensive collection of Chinese artefacts from the gold rush era. The city’s original Emu Point joss house (temple), built during the gold rush, is still in use and has been classified by the National Trust, while the White Hills Cemetery boasts Australia’s largest Chinese burial ground. The old diggings in the area also contain the remnants of Chinese diggings, including circular shafts, introduced by Chinese miners for safety reasons.

Chinese burial customs and more
The Chinese sections in Ballarat’s two cemeteries also contain ceremonial burning towers and a wealth of information on Chinese burial customs. A full record of all burial sites, including names and origins is available. Visit Sovereign Hill to see a superb re-creation of a typical Chinese village, joss house and Chinese mining techniques.