THE roots of Chatswood’s Chinese heritage spans to the late 19th century, where Chinese men cultivated market gardens within the area. 

A market garden is the relatively small yet diverse production of fruits, vegetables and flowers on a small parcel of land. 

Unlike monocultural farming, which focuses on a single crop or field, these market gardens provided communities with a steady and varied supply of fresh produce throughout the local growing season. Double-cropping methods were used to grow produce such as tomatoes, cauliflower, herbs and lettuces. 

Historical records suggest there were at least 10 of these market gardens scattered around Chatswood. 

One of these market gardens was located between Spearman and Archer Streets, with an unnamed Chinese tenant cultivating the garden from 1886 to 1907. 

In the nearby William Street, Mrs Kezia Carr leased her four-and-a-half acres in 1882 to Song Hing, which was in use up to 1902. West of Macquarie Street, Hip Hong leased 4 acres of land for vegetables. From the 1880s to 1890s, Yung Hing cultivated a garden in Holland Street, on land owned by F. H. Holland. 

These men would’ve drawn upon skills and knowledge from China, while adopting and adapting to local practices.

There were roughly 13,000 Chinese in NSW in the 1850s-1860s, with the majority (12,200) on the goldfields. 

By the 1900s, approximately one-third of all Chinese in New South Wales were engaged in the niche industry of market gardening.  

According to the Migration Heritage Centre, these market gardens were worked by around five to ten men who formed informal partnerships. Most of these men had left their families behind in China, and this flexible arrangement allowed them to visit or return to their homeland. 

Unlike the permanent British settlers, who sought to acquire land, these Chinese workers wanted to earn money to take back to their families in China. 

They typically lived on or near the gardens, in wooden shacks that have not survived.