Chinese MemorialPrint Page

The monument commemorates the 16,500 Chinese who landed here and then walked approximately 320 kilometres to the goldfields of Ballarat and Bendigo in Victoria. The monument consists of a ten foot high stone with pictures of a ship, spade, pick, goldpan, and of Chinese carrying their belongings on poles.

The memorial was erected in 1986 as part of South Australia`s Jubilee Celebration. In 1996 an additional plaque was added to the memorial during Robe`s sesquicentenary celebrations. 

To prevent Chinese going to the goldfields, the Victorian government placed a ten pound landing fee on all Chinese coming into the colony in 1855.  As a result ships went instead to the port of Robe, the first being Captain Miller`s "Land of Cakes" which arrived on January 17, 1857.  Local boat-owners sold their services to ferry the Chinese ashore while others hired themselves out as escorts to the Victorian goldfields. Campsites were established and between 1857 and 1863, 16,262 Chinese landed at Robe, 35 ships coming directly from China.

A government landing fee of one pound was charged as well as another local landing fee of up to 50 pence.  Cargoes of opium and tea were exchanged for wood which was shipped to Melbourne. Residents also engaged in salvage operations when three of the ships carrying Chinese passengers were wrecked. The Chinese ships brought great prosperity to Robe, and most of the historic buildings were erected in this period.

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