The Adelaide Times reported on 4-March-1857, that “...during the last few days, 260 Chinese were travelling on the Horsham and Lexton Road, 160 in the Upper Glenelg and a similar number by Casterton and Mt Sturgeon and nearly 300 were crossing the plains between Streatham and Ballaarat beside several smaller parties.”
The Port Phillip Herald reported on the same day, “...one hundred and sixty four have landed from a vessel lately wrecked in Guichen Bay, arrived in Ballaarat yesterday after three weeks overland journey.”
Of the 2,329 Chinese landing at Robe during January and February at least 700 were already in Victoria and 164 of them from the wrecked Phaeton had just arrived in Ballaarat.
Back in Robe Town a well known bullocky, John Edgeworth was finalising the unloading of a load of wool bales on to the Osprey. His next venture would be to take another group of Chinese to the Victorian goldfields. He was happy with his present circumstances; taking Chinese to the goldfields then picking up wool, or wheat, from Victorian stations on his return trip.
His wife Imelda appreciated their sudden change of fortune. John's acting as a guide to the Chinese was very lucrative! John’s last trip had netted them about £200. He was hoping to make similar money this time. Imelda had her heart set on a solid limestone house. Soon they would be able to start construction. She had already spoken to the local stonemason, Larry Cooper.
John Edgeworth was dependable, but easily provoked. He had a quick temper and was not averse to using his fists. His local watering hole was the Bush Inn on the outskirts of town; near the junction of the track to Penola and the track to the Coorong. A bullocky’s life was hard; often on the tracks in all sorts of weather. Their use of colourful language was legendary. They provided an essential service to the sheep stations, pastoralists and wheat farmers.
John had negotiated with a Chinese headman, Ah Wong to take a group of 300 Chinese to the Ballaarat goldfields. He planned to leave in two days time. Due to the untimely death of Elizabeth Blakely, and her subsequent funeral; John had out of respect put back his departure to Tuesday 10-March-1857.
The day dawned bright and sunny. John brought his team and dray along Victoria Street; as close as he could to the Chinese camp. The heavy items of baggage were loaded on to the dray. Some sick Chinese were also hoisted aboard. The rest of the Chinese were lined up single file along Davenport Street ready to follow John and his team. Each Chinaman had a bamboo bow (pole) up to six feet long over one shoulder. At each end of the bow was a basket with up to 35 pounds weight of belongings in each basket. In addition to their native uniform they wore on their heads parasol shaped woven hats; up to a yard in diameter.
John stood on the left hand side of his team of 10 bullocks; yoked in pairs. In his right hand John held his bullocky’s whip. Each pair of bullocks was connected to a central chain. The central chain was connected to the dray.
The whip was made of strong leather, with a handle over three feet long; with it John could reach every bullock in his team. Each bullock had its own name. The two lead bullocks were the most important. They steered the way and set the pace. The pair at the back end also had important roles; going downhill they backed up to the dray to help slow it down. On steep downhill gradients a heavy log was chained to the back of the dray and dropped on the ground to slow the descent.
When the dray was loaded John cracked his huge whip and the leading bullocks took up the strain. As they began to move John lightly flicked each bullock in each pair and the dray moved off. A long slow procession of Chinese followed him. The Chinese soon settled into a smooth, slow jog trot.
As a Chinaman took a step his pole would bend so the baskets touched the ground. The rebound on the pole would bounce the load off the ground allowing the Chinaman to move it along. To keep in step as they trotted they could be heard chanting, “Ballalat, Ballalat,”
The first major stop was at Kangaroo Inn. It took two days of travelling with an overnight stop. Previous Chinese overlanders had dug wells at Water Cress Springs and Clay Wells along the route. Water Cress Springs was about 9 miles from Robe and Clay Wells was about 25 miles from Robe. The wells were lined and had lids on them to prevent animals falling in. This kept the water fresh for other travellers.
The stop at Kangaroo Inn was a good opportunity to relax for a couple of days. John Edgeworth was able to quench his thirst and socialise with the locals. He spoke to Ah Wong.
“Ah Wong, we are camping here for two days. You can rest up before the next part of the journey.”
“Velly glood, Bloss.”
The Chinese spent the time gambling. Some of the Chinese had begun to discard items to reduce weight in their baskets. The journey continued on to Penola where they rested overnight. From Penola, John went via Glenroy to the Inverness Inn for an overnight stop. Inverness Inn was very close to the disputed Victorian border. There were no roads in these areas only bullocky trails. Townships were few and far between.
From Inverness Inn they travelled over the Victorian border to Tallengower Homestead. The homestead stood on a hill overlooking Gray’s Crossing. It was a dry weather crossing of the Glenelg River, easy to ford. It was a summer time crossing only; winter rains made the crossing impassable. In winter they had to turn south and head down river to Casterton where there was a punt across the Glenelg River.
Tallengower Homestead was on the summer route. Whilst there, the Chinese took the opportunity to negotiate the purchase of some sheep to freshen up their food supplies. They also had some other delicacies Europeans found detestable. Dogs and cats mysteriously disappeared along the routes taken by the Chinese.
After crossing the Glenelg River they travelled to Chetwynd Station, then on to Wando Dale Station; from there to Koolomert Station. Koolomert Station was near the southern boundary of the Grampians mountain range. The local sheep station owners were eager to negotiate the sale of sheep to the Chinese. Otherwise, sheep mysteriously disappeared when they passed by. It was better to make a profit than suffer a loss.
Koolomert Station near the town of Cavendish was an important milestone on their journey. The Chinese could see the Grampians mountain range looming up before them. John Edgeworth informed them that on the other side of the Grampians lay the Victorian goldfields. It gave them hope; and the will to complete their long, hot, tedious journey.
The Land of the Golden Mountain; as the Chinese referred to the goldfields, was somewhere on the other side of these mountains. Little did they realise another 130 miles of country had to be traversed to reach Ballaarat. They had come about 2/3rd of their journey.
From Koolomert Station they trekked to the township of Dunkeld; which was on the well established route from Hamilton to Ballaarat. From Dunkeld they could travel east to Ballaarat or head in a north easterly direction to the Bendigo goldfields. Bendigo was 170 miles away.
The cavalcade averaged about 20 miles per day; depending on the type of terrain crossed. Mountains or hilly countryside slowed them down. If they were crossing plains or crossing undulating terrain they improved their daily average. At night hundreds of cooking fires; made in holes scooped in the ground, could be seen; each man cooking rice brought in from China. Sometimes their diet was enhanced by wombat or kangaroo meat; from animals they caught. Any stray dogs or cats also made it into their diet.
John Edgeworth was pleased with their progress. At this rate they would arrive in Ballaarat during the first week of April. He calculated that another seven days of travel should confirm his reckonings. John was a shrewd trader. He wasn’t going all the way into Ballaarat. He would leave his Chinese charges one day out from Ballaarat. John well knew the hatred of the white miners towards the Chinese. He was not prepared to cop any angry mobs.
John also knew of others who took the Chinese only a short way on their journey then abandoned them. The poor Chinese, in a strange and foreign land, then had to try and find the way to Ballaarat or Bendigo. So a self help system began. The Chinese began to mark the trails to the goldfields. They emblazoned
Chinese symbols on trees they passed. Discarded items of clothing and other items littering the sides of bullocky trails also identified the way.
John’s group was fortunate it was still the dry season; with occasional showers or storms. Winter rains, cold winds and frosts made the going more difficult and the journey more miserable. The wet season would bring extra hardships, due to exposure and cold. Chinese were known to have died from exhaustion, exposure and cold weather. Hail storms were not uncommon in winter, plus sleet or snow in the high country. Ballaarat was known to be a very cold place in winter.
John Edgeworth departed from Dunkeld knowing the route to Streatham was on flatter terrain; on a well established road from Hamilton to Ballaarat.
The Chinese in his group were eagerly looking forward to reaching Ballaarat; and a fortune in gold. The fabled Land of the Golden Mountain was at the end of this road. There was much excited chatter around the camp fires that night.
John was pleased with their progress. Except for a few minor incidents the trip so far had gone well. This group should reach Ballaarat either Wednesday, 1-April- 1857, or Thursday, 2-April-1857. Chinese groups stretched for miles along the road. Travellers coming the other way were greeted by the sight of hundreds of Chinese jogging along the road; chanting “Ballalat, Ballalat.” It was a sign of the times!
John’s cavalcade made good progress. From Dunkeld they travelled past the small village of Yuppiekiar and headed towards the village of Wickcliffe; where they made camp overnight around nightfall. Next day they passed by a large lake named Lake Bolac; where they replenished their water containers. Moving on, they trekked to the small township of Streatham and camped overnight.
Next morning they set off for the small village of Skipton; where they made an overnight stop. Tomorrow they would travel to Smythesdale; passing the old gold diggings at Linton. John’s charges were excited when they got to Linton and realised that gold had been mined here. It gave them a new surge of energy. Ah Wong asked John Edgeworth how many more days to Ballaarat. When John told him tomorrow by nightfall; he was elated. Excitedly he conveyed the good news to his fellow countrymen. A general mood of optimism and excitement filled the air.
Their stop that night was the old gold mining diggings at the village of Smythesdale. A jubilant mood could be sensed around the camp fires. Tomorrow the Land of the Golden Mountain would be reached.
Next morning, Wednesday, 1-April-1857, John called Ah Wong and told him they would have to travel the last day on their own. He was not prepared to go any further in case there was trouble with the European miners.
Ah Wong remonstrated with him. “You all a same aglee take us Ballalat! Now you leave Chinee here. Ah Wong pay you mush silver to glo Ballalat!”
Ah Wong was hurt and disappointed.
John ordered the Chinese to take their belongings off the dray.
“Ah Wong take your goods and go. I’m not going into Ballaarat. Those crazy miners will beat me to within an inch of my life; if I arrive with you lot.”
He promised them that they would reach Ballaarat that day. “Look you will reach Ballaarat before the sun goes down.”
A reshuffling of belongings took place. Ah Wong gave the order and they jogged steadily up the road; chanting “Ballalat, Ballalat.”
John Edgeworth watched them go and then settled in for a good drinking spree. He had plenty of money stashed in a hidden, waterproof compartment under the dray. He had enough money on his person for a good time, for a couple of days.
Ah Wong and his group travelled all day and reached the outskirts of Ballaarat as the sun sank low in the sky. Hostile, hateful stares greeted them as they jogged into Ballaarat. Tensions between European miners and Chinese miners were at a flashpoint. Another large group of Chinese arriving would only add to the tension.
Ah Wong made inquiries and was directed to the Chinese Protector’s Office. The Chinese Protector allocated camp sites to Ah Wong’s group. Tomorrow they would each have to purchase a Miner’s Right before they could begin staking a claim and start mining for gold.
Their journey was over, but their quest for gold was just beginning.