St George Chinese Community Memorial 聖喬治華人紀念碑

Written By Peter Ho

In the mid-19th century, following the Opium War and a time of great hardship in China, many men from Amoy (modern-day Xiamen) left their homes in search of a better life. Faced with poor harvests, famine, and limited opportunity, they signed up as indentured labourers under strict five-year contracts to work in faraway places like Australia. For these men, the journey to New South Wales was not one of ambition but of survival - driven by the hope of earning enough to support their families back home.

They became known locally as the “Amoy Shepherds.” Most were illiterate and unfamiliar with the English language or Australian customs. Life was hard and often lonely. Far from home, they worked on sheep stations in remote regions like St George, often with little support and very few comforts. Many dreamed of returning home once their contracts ended, but few ever did. Without money or connections, they remained - quietly living out their lives in a land that felt foreign, yet became their final resting place.

Sadly, the details of their lives have been lost over time. A wild fire destroyed burial records, leaving behind little trace of their personal stories. We don’t know which villages they came from, what they felt, or how they adjusted to life in Australia. It’s unclear whether they formed connections with the local Aboriginal communities, who were themselves navigating dramatic upheaval and displacement at the time. But it’s possible they found moments of kindness and shared understanding on the frontier.

We can only imagine what these men thought of the world around them - how they coped with the challenges, what hopes they held onto, and whether they ever received word from home again. Though the historical record is quiet on these questions, their courage speaks volumes. With few rights and even fewer resources, they carried on, contributing quietly to Australia’s development in agriculture and rural life.

For many decades, Chinese migrants were treated as outsiders. Yet through perseverance and hard work, they became an important part of Australia’s story. Over time, perceptions shifted, and by the latter part of the 20th century, Chinese Australians were increasingly recognised for their contributions. The introduction of multiculturalism in the 1970s marked a new chapter - one that celebrated, rather than excluded, diverse communities.

Today, the legacy of the Amoy shepherds lives on. Though their names may be lost, their presence is honoured by the St George Chinese Community Memorial Committee. By remembering them, we acknowledge not only their hardships but also their quiet strength and the role they played in shaping regional Queensland. Their story is a reminder that even the most humble lives leave a lasting impact.

Weblinks

The Amoy Shepherds and Their Legacy

Early Chinese Migration and Indentured Labour

十九世紀中葉，鴉片戰爭過後，中國歷經一段極其艱困的時期，許多來自廈門（當時稱為「阿穆依／Amoy」，今之廈門）的男子，為了尋求更好的生活而離鄉背井。面對歉收、饑荒及機會有限的處境，他們在嚴格的五年契約下成為契約勞工，前往澳洲等遙遠之地工作。對這些人而言，前往新南威爾士的旅程並非出於雄心壯志，而是為了生存——只盼能賺取足夠收入，寄回家鄉養活家人。

他們在當地被稱為「阿穆依牧羊人」（Amoy Shepherds）。多數人目不識丁，對英語及澳洲的風俗習慣皆不熟悉。生活艱辛且常感孤獨，遠離家鄉的他們，在如聖佐治（St George）等偏遠地區的牧羊場工作，往往缺乏支援、物資簡陋。許多人夢想在合約期滿後返鄉，但真正能成行者寥寥無幾。既無財力亦無人脈，他們最終留下來，靜靜地在這片陌生卻成為終老之地的土地上度過餘生。

可惜的是，隨著時間流逝，他們生命的細節逐漸失落。一場野火焚毀了安葬紀錄，個人的故事幾乎不復存在。我們無從得知他們來自哪些村落、內心的感受，或如何適應在澳洲的生活；亦不清楚他們是否與當時同樣面臨劇烈動盪與流離失所的當地原住民社群建立過聯繫。然而，在邊疆的艱難歲月中，他們或許曾經歷過一些善意與彼此理解的時刻。

我們只能想像這些人如何看待身處的世界——他們如何面對重重挑戰，心中堅持著哪些希望，以及是否曾再次收到來自家鄉的消息。儘管歷史記錄對這些問題鮮少著墨，他們的勇氣卻不言而喻。在權利匱乏、資源更為有限的情況下，他們依然堅持下去，默默為澳洲的農業與鄉村發展作出貢獻。

長達數十年間，華人移民曾被視為外來者；然而，憑著毅力與勤勞，他們逐漸成為澳洲歷史中不可或缺的一部分。隨著時間推移，社會觀感逐漸轉變，至二十世紀後期，華裔澳洲人的貢獻愈來愈受到肯定。1970年代多元文化政策的推行，揭開了新的一頁——一個以接納與慶祝多元社群，而非排斥為核心的時代。

時至今日，阿穆依牧羊人的精神與足跡依然延續。縱然姓名或已佚失，他們的存在由聖佐治華人社區紀念委員會予以紀念。透過追憶他們，我們不僅承認其所承受的艱辛，也肯定他們內斂的堅毅，以及在塑造昆士蘭地區發展中所扮演的角色。他們的故事提醒我們——即使是最平凡的生命，也能留下長遠而深刻的影響。

相關連結

阿穆依牧羊人及其歷史傳承

• Monument Australia – 阿穆依牧羊人紀念碑
介紹位於昆士蘭州聖佐治（St George）的阿穆依牧羊人紀念碑，紀念約三百名於十九世紀中葉來自阿穆依（今廈門）的契約勞工，他們在當地擔任牧羊人，為澳洲早期發展作出貢獻。
https://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/landscape/settlement/display/113894-amoy-shepherds

• Chinese Australian History – 阿穆依牧羊人紀念碑
探討淘金熱時期之前抵達澳洲、卻長期被忽視的阿穆依契約華工歷史。
https://chinozhistory.org/index.php/67-amoy-shepherds-memorial/

• SBS 國語（Mandarin）–《昆士蘭小鎮華人牧羊人的未知故事》
訪問聖佐治華人社區紀念委員會主席孫傑克（Jack Sun），揭示這段鮮為人知的歷史篇章。
https://www.sbs.com.au/language/chinese/en/podcast-episode/the-unknown-story-of-chinese-shepherds-in-small-town-queensland/0675e6mn6

• 中國駐布里斯本總領事館 – 聖佐治華人紀念碑致詞
介紹聖佐治華人社區紀念委員會在保存早期華人移民歷史方面所作的努力。
https://www.mfa.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/zwbd/202405/t20240530_11365707.html

早期華人移民與契約勞工制度

• 澳洲國家博物館 – 早期華人移民
探討促使華人離鄉背井的中國社會背景，以及華人勞工在澳洲發展中所扮演的重要角色。
https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/features/harvest-of-endurance/scroll/early-chinese-migrants

• 新南威爾士歷史博物館（Museums of History NSW）– 華人移民與定居
介紹華人移民新南威爾士的歷史背景，以及早期定居者所面對的挑戰。
https://mhnsw.au/articles/chinese-migration-and-settlement/

• 新英格蘭大學（University of New England）–《1847–1855 年新南威爾士華人牧羊契約勞工的生活與勞動》
學術文章，詳述1847年至1855年間華人牧羊人在新南威爾士的生活處境與勞動經驗。
https://rune.une.edu.au/entities/publication/4fdc5259-52c5-4417-94e4-5b203f88a4da

Peter Ho
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