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Digger Incident
About 500 Chinese were forced out of the diggings by a group of anti-chinese protesting diggers on Tuesday, November 13, 1860. Their tents were destroyed, their belongings were robbed and their presence around the area was limited. -
Period: to
The Lambing Flat Riots
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Proclaimation
The region had been proclaimed on November 27. However, the region quickly became unstable due to an inexperienced commissioner, who was hired to oversee the land, was unable to keep things under control. -
Vigilantes
The miners formed a vigilante group and took matters into their own hands by demolishing many sly-grog shanties, which were renowned hangouts for thieves, due to the absence of proper police protection on the goldfields. -
Pledge and Limitation
The miners were intent in January 1861 to receive a pledge from the Europeans present to stop the Chinese from working there. -
Meeting and March
The miners called a meeting for the purpose of taking into consideration whether Burrangong is a European gold-field or a Chinese territory. They were outraged by the Chinese's presence and actions and terrified of being overrun by them. After that gathering, the diggers marched into the Chinese area and drove away several thousand Chinese people, despite the police's best efforts to stop them. In the end, all of the Orientals had been driven from the Burrangong goldfields. -
Fight and insults
A group of European miners assembled on Sunday, February 17, in Blackguard Gully, which was close to the Chinese district. Insults were traded, a brawl broke out; White people soon rushed to the "Roll up," and the Celestials were forced to flee. On arrival, the police took fifteen miners into custody. Thousands of diggers came as word of the arrests spread, and they proceeded to sweep through the diggings, driving out the Chinesemen. -
Petition
On April 10, 1861, a petition signed by Hu Foo and Kylong was brought to the Legislative Assembly. It contained 43 signatories' names in both Chinese and English on behalf of 196 Chinese miners whose belongings, including tents, were burned on February 19, 1861. Sadly, the original petition was not preserved long enough to make it to the present day. -
False Article
A supposed false new article was published which stated that they would resolve the riots in a way in which no violence would commence. -
Withdrawal of Military command
On May 24, Gold Commissioner Lynch, Assistant Commissioner Clarke, and a small contingent of police were the only people remaining in command due to a withdrawal of military command from Burrangong. During that same period, there was a conflict at the Native Dog Creek goldfield, south of Bathurst, where it was reported that armed Chinese miners injured several Europeans when they resisted an attempt by the Europeans to drive them from the field. -
30 June 1861 riot
After gathering at Tipperary Gully, a thousand men with pick handles and/or bludgeons marched into Lambing Flat, where they forced the Chinese out of the field and severed their pigtails. Afterwards, around 2000 and 3000 men crossed the main creek and attacked the Chinese camp at Sawpit Gully, demolishing all of their tents and belongings before moving on to Back Creek. -
An attempt to restore peace
Colonel Kempt led troops along with a police and naval brigade to bring about peace, and 400 Chinese men were said to have followed in their train. Kempt's arrival on August 3, 1861, was the catalyst for the reinstatement of 250 Chinese miners who had been pushed from their claims at Back Creek. -
Gold Fields Act and Regulations
The Gold Fields Act and Regulations of 1861, which was ratified on September 8, 1861, did not forbid Chinese people from working on gold fields. Instead, they imposed penalties on foreigners who were not permitted to be on gold fields. Premier Cowper also submitted the Chinese Immigrants Regulation and Restriction Bill on the same day. The bill was approved by both Houses of Parliament and signed into law on November 22, 1861. -
Resolution
The New South Wales government passes the Chinese Immigration Act in November 1861, severely limiting the flow of Chinese into the colony. -
Renaming
Lambing Flat was renamed to Young, to honour the Governor, Sir John Young, and to remove the name of Lambing Flat from the map due to the immense tragedies that had occured.