It is estimated that around 40,000 Chinese people made the journey to Australia during the goldrush period. The Chinese brought with them new customs, religion, language and new ways of mining, unknown to the European settlers. Unlike Caucasian miners, most Chinese men arrived on the goldfields not to seek their ‘fortune’ in gold, but to supply a supplementary income to their families back in China. Cultural differences made the Chinese communities very unpopular on the goldfields, with only a few Europeans recognising their adaptability, honesty and hard work. The Chinese miners used cylindrical mine shafts (more effective than rectangular), and seldom searched ‘new ground’ for gold, instead preferring to go over abandoned areas. The miners wore flat straw hats, similar in size to umbrellas.
Whenever enough Chinese people gathered in one community, they would build a ‘Joss House’ or temple, to worship and pray to their gods. These Joss Houses had roofs that curved upwards, as the Chinese believed this kept evil spirits away.
European miners became increasingly resentful towards the Chinese population on the goldfields. In 1857 at Buckland River, Victoria, there were a number of violent incidents between Chinese and Caucasian miners. Chinese miners were beaten, resulting in deaths, whilst their tents, houses and temples were burnt, robbed and trampled by European diggers.