In this section I am collecting newspaper entries concerning concerning Chinese market gardeners in North Queensland, with view of developing an understanding of the role of the Chinese market
gardener in pioneer communities, and Chinese immigration to North Queensland in general.
Chinese immigrants arrived in north Queensland in their tens of thousands with the discovery of gold on the Palmer River in the early 1870s. The vast majority of these immigrants were men,
and most returned to China with or without wealth gleaned from the goldfields.
Those Chinese men who stayed in the colony were often employed in agriculture, and hard labor.
Chinese labourers on a North Queensland banana plantation.
The Chinese market gardener is a common figure when reading historical records of
any community in Queensland between the late 19th and mid-20th century.
A much maligned character, often poked fun at and made the butt of all jokes, the Chinese market gardener provided
an invaluable resource to communities, in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables, often in remote, arid districts where limited rations could easily result in nutritional deficiencies.
Articles are in chronological order.
The Chinese Market Gardener portrayed in Queensland Newspapers
The writer of this article argues that a limited number of Chinese is useful in a climate where white men
do not do well in market gardening, but Australian authorities must prevent being flooded with hordes of Chinese. July, 1887.
An elderly Chinese market gardener, resident in north Queensland for more than 50 years without
criminal record, is fined for possession of opium. November 1931.
Yuen Look, a Chinese market gardener, is assaulted and robbed of £9 while driving home to his garden along a lonely road, near Freshwater, Cairns, March 1932.
