Gum San

Imagine life during Ararat's earliest beginnings and the excitement of the Chinese immigrants who discovered one of the world's richest shallow alluvial goldfields.

The world class Gum San Chinese Heritage Centre tells the story of miners from Southern China and brings to life the social, environmental and political situations of immigrant miners in the mid 1800's. Take you own journey and relive the experience of Chinese gold prospectors on their great trek from Robe, South Australia to the Victorian Goldfields.

The series of exhibition spaces, state of the art presentations, and rotating displays of Chinese artefacts and period pieces delivers a snapshot of the rich colour and history of the Chinese culture from the 1800's to modern day.

A true experience for visitors of all ages. Discover the fun and delight of gold panning, and relive the goldfields way of life. Try your hand at calligraphy, learn about the Chinese language, and view the relics and life-like sculptured characters and authentic artefacts. Involve yourself in the language and story telling room, and admire the mining tunnel uncovered during construction.

On a May day in 1857, 700 Chinese miners from Southern China, travelling overland from the Port of Robe, South Australia, to the Central Victorian Goldfields, rested at a place at the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, 400 kilometres due east of Robe. Replenishing their water supplies at a spring, they discovered by chance the Canton Lead, the world's richest shallow alluvial goldfield that stretched five kilometres at length. This find marked the beginning of the Ararat Goldfield, which grew to a population of more than 30,000 in a few weeks. In the first three months of mining, the Canton Lead yielded more than three tonnes of gold.