Asian Australian history is the history of Asian ethnic and racial groups in Australia who trace their ancestry to Asia. The term Asian Australian, was first used in the 1950s by European Australians who wanted to strengthen diplomatic and trade ties with Asia for the benefit of the Australian community. The term was not originally used to describe or recognise the experiences of people of Asian descent living in Australia. It was only in the late 1980s and 1990s that the term "Asian Australian" was adopted and used by Asian Australians themselves to discuss issues related to racial vilification and discrimination. Today, the term "Asian Australian" is widely accepted and used to refer to people of Asian descent who are citizens or residents of Australia, though its usage and meaning may vary within the Asian Australian community.
Hostility to immigration
Hostility towards Asian immigration in Australia has a long history, dating back to the implementation of the "White Australia" policy in 1901. This policy, which was in place until 1973, consisted of laws and policies aimed at excluding non-white immigrants, particularly those from Asia, from settling in the country. Despite efforts to reform or repeal the policy over the years, the legacy of the White Australia policy and hostility towards Asian immigration has persisted in various forms, including instances of racism and discrimination towards Asian Australians
Chronology
Pre-European Colonisation
c. 50,000 BCE: The first wave of migration from the Indian subcontinent to Australia may have occurred, although there is limited evidence to support this. Linguistic similarities between some Aboriginal languages and South Indian languages suggest a potential historical connection. c. 4230 BCE: Genetic and archaeological evidence indicates a substantial influx of people from India. This period coincides with the introduction of new plant processing and stone tool technologies, as well as the appearance of dingoes and spears in the Australian fossil record. c. 1330: Chinese sailor Wang Dayuan explores much of Southeast Asia, and potentially sights Australia, although there is no documented evidence of this. c. 1422: Chinese admiral Zheng He and his fleet explore much of Southeast Asia, and potentially visit Australia, although there is no documented evidence of this. 1606: The Janszoon voyage marks the first of multiple visits to Australia on behalf of the Dutch East India Company, which employed some Asian people.Anderson, Clare; Frykma, Niklas; van Voss, Lex Heerma; Rediker, Marcus (2013). Mutiny and Maritime Radicalism in the Age of Revolution: A Global Survey, page 113-114 c. 1720: Makassan trepangers from Sulawesi begin harvesting sea cucumbers off the coast of the Kimberley and Arnhem Land, and establish contact with Aboriginal Australians including the Yolngu people. This may have begun as early as 1640 or the 1500s.
1800s
1800–1816: A small group of Indians, sent as convict laborers by British colonial authorities, arrive in Australia. 1808: Britain bans the slave trade within the British Empire. 1818: Mak Sai Ying, the first recorded Chinese settler in Australia, arrives in Port Jackson, Sydney aboard the ship Laurel. He begins work as a carpenter for John Blaxland, whom he met on the voyage. 1833: Slavery is abolished in the British Empire, replaced by a system of indentured labor. Reformers begin raising concerns about the similarities between indentured labor and slavery. 1830s–1840s: A significant social movement emerges in Australia, opposing the transportation of convicts and advocating for anti-slavery reforms. This movement criticizes the wealthy pastoralists who rely on convict labor. 1841: British Colonial Secretary Sir James Stephen warns against introducing "black races" to Australia, advocating for the country to remain populated by the "English race." 1847–1853: Around 3,500 Chinese indentured laborers, primarily from Fujian province, arrive in Australia to work as shepherds, rural laborers, cooks, and gardeners.
1850s
1853: Over 5,000 people, including seven Chinese individuals, sign the "Bendigo Goldfields Petition" demanding improved conditions on the goldfields. 1854: The Eureka Stockade rebellion takes place, involving mainly European miners, though Chinese miners are also present in limited numbers. 1854–1855: The Goldfields Commission introduces anti-Chinese immigration laws, including residential head taxes, passenger limits, and restrictions on Chinese residential areas. 1857: The Buckland River riots result in the deaths and expulsion of approximately 2,000 Chinese miners. The Chinese community in Ballarat grows to 5,000. 1859: The "Red Ribbon" movement, protesting discriminatory laws, gains traction, with thousands of Chinese residents participating in marches in Bendigo and Castlemaine. A petition is presented to the government. 1859: The first recorded arrival of a Baloch cameleer from what is now Pakistan.
1860s
1861: The Chinese population in the Ararat district declines from 3,000 to 500 due to punitive taxes. Local residents, including both Chinese and European, petition for a reduction in the £4 tax. 1862: Anti-Chinese legislation, enacted in 1855, is suspended. 1863: Chinese shopkeepers and merchants in Ballarat petition for the cessation of gambling at Golden Point. 1866: The See Yup Temple in South Melbourne is rebuilt in permanent form, having been established in the 1850s. 1868: William Young (Tsze Hing) conducts a survey, discovering that around 800 Chinese residents are engaged in seasonal harvesting and other industries like mining, shearing sheds, and running Chinese stores. 1860s: Many cameleers from regions like Sindh, Peshawar, Baluchistan, and Punjab (now part of Pakistan) arrive in Australia, often misidentified as "Afghan" by colonial authorities.
1870s
1871: Despite the formal abolition of "camps," many Chinese residents remain in areas like Ballarat East (700 people) and Bendigo's Ironbark (400 people). Over 3,000 Chinese live outside major gold mining regions. 1872: Queen Victoria condemns the exploitation of Pacific Islanders in her address to the British Parliament. 1872: Filipino “Manila-men” begin arriving in Australia to work in the Queensland sugar industry and as pearl divers in the Torres Strait and Western Australia. 1874–1877: The influx of Chinese miners during the Palmer River Gold Rush in Queensland sparks concerns over labor control in the far north. 1876: Queensland Premier John Douglas acknowledges the utility of Chinese labor for developing tropical resources, though concerns about their numbers persist. 1878: The Seamen's Strike, protesting the replacement of European seafarers with Chinese workers, ignites anti-Chinese sentiment, with support from Queensland sugar planters. 1879: Queensland politician Arthur Hunter Palmer becomes Colonial Secretary, advocating for the use of "coloured labour," which influences Sir Henry Parkes's push for federation. October 1879: Sir Henry Parkes publishes a proposal for a federation of Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, excluding Queensland due to its reliance on "coloured labour."
1880s
1880s: European Australians join Chinese protesters in advocating for the rights and social standing of Chinese residents, opposing further immigration restrictions. January 1880: Western Australia's Legislative Council offers subsidies to import Chinese laborers, provoking protests from other Australian colonies. November–December 1880: An Intercolonial Conference in Melbourne, involving Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales, focuses on border tariffs and unification. January 1881: The Intercolonial Conference in Sydney discusses a unified stance on Chinese immigration, with South Australia agreeing but later exempting the Northern Territory from its anti-Chinese legislation. 1881–1887: The South Australian House of Assembly passes five bills to restrict Chinese immigration to the Northern Territory, but all are blocked in the Legislative Council. 1883: Over 2,500 Chinese laborers enter Queensland to address labor shortages caused by Pacific Islander workers. This leads to the introduction of stricter immigration laws. 1885: Chinese resistance to French military aggression and subsequent modernization heightens strategic concerns in Australia. 1885: The Filipino community on Thursday Island reaches 147 people. 1886: South Australia passes a Gold Fields Act, excluding Chinese miners from newly discovered goldfields for two years. 1886–1887: A surge of Chinese workers arrives in the Northern Territory to construct the Pine Creek railway, raising concerns in other colonies. January 1887: Chinese diplomat "Marquis" Tseng criticizes Australia for discriminating against Chinese people and occupying land it cannot defend. 1889: The first recorded contact between Australia and Korea occurs when missionaries from Australia arrive in Busan.
1890s
1890: The formation of the Australian Labor Federation and its success in Western Australian elections leads to the passage of the Chinese Immigration Restriction Act, largely driven by opposition to Chinese immigration. 1891–1893: Debate intensifies regarding the employment of Chinese laborers, with growing polarization over Australia's stance on racial exclusivity. 1896–1897: The first significant protest against the White Australia policy arises, with Chinese, Japanese, and Indian residents petitioning for better treatment. 1897: Prime Minister Edmund Barton introduces the first immigration restriction legislation, marking the official beginning of the "White Australia" policy. 1889: The first recorded contact between Australia and Korea occurs when Australian missionaries arrive in Busan.
1900s
1901: The Immigration Restriction Act solidifies the White Australia Policy, limiting the possibilities for the development of the Northern Territory through "coloured labour." Deputy Prime Minister Alfred Deakin defends the Act, citing racial determinism and national self-preservation as key justifications. The Chinese community in Victoria erects an archway to celebrate the Federation of Australia. Prominent Chinese leaders advocate for amendments to the national immigration laws that restrict Chinese migration. By 1901, around 7,500 Chinese people reside in Victoria, with one-third living in Melbourne's Little Bourke Street Chinatown, working in a variety of professions, including as merchants, professionals, and domestic workers. 1902: The Chinese Times, a Chinese-language newspaper, begins publication in Melbourne. 1912: The Chinese furniture trade in Melbourne reaches its peak, particularly in the Little Bourke Street area. 1920s: The Chinese furniture trade begins to decline due to the impact of World War I, the rise of European youth and female labor, and increasing mechanization. Travel between Australia and China doubles from pre-World War I levels. Approximately 25% of Chinese women in Australia are born to mixed Chinese and non-Chinese parents. 1930s: The median age of Chinese women reaches the typical marriage age, indicating a trend towards family stability in the community.
1901–1945
Japan, through diplomatic efforts, secures slight adjustments to the White Australia Policy, such as the use of a “dictation test” and temporary entry for merchants, students, and visitors. Similar concessions are later made to India and China. Despite some adjustments, the underlying racial ideologies of the White Australia Policy remain largely intact.
1930s
17 March 1934: John Latham, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs, embarks on the first Eastern Goodwill Trade Mission, aiming to develop new export markets in Asia following the Great Depression.