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Beechworth’s Forgotten Chinese Gold Rush History Uncovered Tonight on Back Roads

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Tonight on Back Roads, uncover Beechworth’s hidden Chinese history and gold rush past with Annie Louey.

This evening on Back Roads, airing at 8:00pm AEDT on ABC and ABC iview, the series shifts focus to Beechworth, a Victorian gold rush town often recognised for its historic associations with bushrangers, breweries, and biking culture.

Yet, in tonight’s episode, guest presenter Annie Louey delves into a lesser-known aspect of Beechworth’s past: the significant Chinese community that made up close to a quarter of the town’s population during the gold rush era of the 1850s.

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Timed with the Beechworth Arts Biennale, Louey encounters residents dedicated to preserving this rich cultural history. She joins the Beechworth Golden Serpents dragon boat racing team, diving into a spirited practice session that underscores the lasting influence of Chinese customs on the community.

From there, Louey visits Beechworth Cemetery with Kathryn Chivers, a descendant of Chinese settlers, where they stand beside the original Chinese ceremonial burning towers—an enduring symbol of Chinese funeral traditions in Australia.

Local resident Vivienne McWaters lives atop what was once an old Chinese encampment. Over years of unearthing remnants from this period, McWaters has gathered an array of artefacts, including a surprising piece of 19th-century erotica, all revealing layers of a difficult history that include racial discrimination faced by the Chinese miners. Her discoveries highlight the resilience of the Chinese community during a turbulent period.

Louey also meets Darren Sutton, who left a corporate career in Melbourne two decades ago to prospect for gold and gemstones in the area. Together, they visit a historical mining site, where Sutton guides Louey in panning for gold on ground once worked by thousands of Chinese miners.

To gain a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics between Chinese miners and European settlers, Louey explores the Buckland Valley. There, she examines the site of the 1857 Buckland Riot, a violent expulsion of Chinese miners, illustrating the depth of tensions that arose during the gold rush.

Tonight’s Back Roads episode sheds light on Beechworth’s complex multicultural past, honouring the contributions and struggles of the town’s early Chinese settlers.

Back Roads airs Tuesday 29 October at 8:00pm AEDT on ABC and ABC iview.

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Kevin Perry
Kevin Perryhttps://perryexcav.com/
Senior Editor and Co-Owner of the TV Blackbox website, Kevin Perry is an experienced media commentator focused on TV Production, Consumer Tech, SVOD & Sports Broadcasting. Media enquiries please Call or Text 0428-275-111
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