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BALLARAT’S Chinese Cultural Society vice president Charles Zhang will be the guest speaker at the Daylesford and District Historical Society’s general meeting on Friday, September5.
DDHS president Ken Warren said Mr Zhang would speak of the incredible experience he shared with his 16-year-old son Oscar in 2013 when he walked 480kilometres in 16 days from Robe, in South Australia, to Ballarat.
‘‘Mr Zhang retraced the same route that thousands of Chinese made heading for the Victorian gold fields in the 1850s’’ Mr Warren said.
The Chinese were unable to land in Victoria as a result of a government tax introduced to discourage Chinese immigration.
‘‘Ships carrying the Chinese sailed to Robe, SA, instead where Chinese passengers disembarked and were forced to make the long and hazardous journey to the Victorian goldfields by foot,’’ Mr Warren said.
‘‘There are few records of this significant event in the history of Victoria and it is a real honour to have Charles Zhang as a speaker to learn more about it – especially as many Chinese came to the Daylesford goldfields.’’
Between 1856 and 1857 it is estimated more than 17,000 Chinese landed in Robe.
Hundreds died making the journey to the goldfields.
This epic journey became known as ‘‘The Long Walk’’.
For further info contact: Ian Marshall 53483309 or Heather Mutimer 53485519.