SUNNY CORNER CHINESE MARKET GARDEN

The Sunny Corner Chinese Market Garden was established before 1863, and likely closer to the advent of the gold rush in Ballarat in 1851. They were in use for approximately 100 years, until around 1958 when historical aerial image indicates they fell into disuse. The archaeological potential for the site is considered to be moderate-high, particularly in the grassy areas that have undergone minimal subsurface disturbance. It is also possible that sludge layers have preserved early phases of the gardens. The site is of historical, archaeological, and social importance to the state of Victoria.

The Chinese Market Garden at Sunny Corner is archaeologically significant because of its direct relationship to the development and expansion of Ballarat during the gold rush. The market gardens were established by the significant number of Chinese miners moving into the region and subsequently illustrates their attempts at maintaining their culture and diet preferences, whilst also providing produce to the growing local population. The market gardens at Sunny Corner were continuously occupied and in operation for approximately 100 years. Further, the numerous instances of rebuilding at the gardens after flooding events may be evident in the archaeological record at the site.

The Sunny Corner Chinese Market Garden meets three of the themes within Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (Heritage Council of Victoria 2010) Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes: 

(2) Peopling Victoria’s places and landscapes 

(2.4) Arriving in a new land 

(2.5) Migrating and making a home 

(2.6) Maintaining distinctive cultures 

(4) Transforming and managing land and natural resources 

(4.4) Farming 

(4.5) Gold mining 

(5) Building Victoria’s industries and workforce 

(5.3) Markets and retailing. 

The archaeological potential of the Sunny Corner Chinese Market Garden relates specifically to various sub-themes in within the Heritage Council of Victoria Victoria’s Framework of Historical Themes (2010): (2) ‘Peopling Victoria’s places and landscapes’, (4) ‘Transforming and managing land and natural resources’, and (5) ‘Building Victoria’s industries and workforce’. The presence of market gardening in Victoria closely follows the settlement patterns of the state. The Chinese Market Garden that flourished at Sunny Corner was established due to the influx of people moving into Ballarat for the gold rush, particularly a substantial number of Chinese miners. The market gardeners served local needs by selling their produce door to door. Further, establishing the market gardens on the bank of the Yarrowee River yielded a constant supply of water for irrigation purposes, and distinctive tools and infrastructure for market gardening would have been utilised. 

Archaeological deposits and structural features from the Sunny Corner Chinese Market Garden can provide evidence for how these gardeners utilised the landscape for distinct farming practices while living at the site. Further, the area was significantly affected by sludge in the late 19th century. The market gardens therefore present an opportunity to provide evidence for the adverse affects of sludge to the population of mining towns whilst providing a possibility for the preservation of early garden market features, dwellings, and farming tools.