19TH CENTURY MIGRANTS

The first significant phase of non-European migration was the result of the discovery of gold in 1851. Previously, Asian migrants had been agricultural labourers, they arrived in the thousands in the second half of the 19thcentury in search of wealth. As a result, the towns of Bathurst, outside Sydney, and Ballarat and Bendigo outside of Melbourne became multicultural hubs. The goldfields attracted various immigrants, the largest non-European nationality were the Chinese.

Perceptions of a racial hierarchy, of which Caucasians were superior, embodied British imperialism and were common during the 19th century, influencing attitudes and rationalizing discriminatory treatment. Cultural clashes quickly erupted between Chinese and European and American diggers sparking violent clashes and a growing anti-Chinese sentiment. These sentiments began to form restrictive legislation, which formed the notion of 'White Australia', one that dominated the era of Federation and dramatically affected 20th-century migration.