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by Julie Wrigley (Editor), Ian Willis (Editor)
This book is a short history of the Chinese market gardeners who came to the Camden District in the late 19th century. The story has been overlooked, and there is little tangible evidence of their presence in the area from the past. Yet a little digging reveals a rich and complex history that made a significant contribution to the local economy, inter-racial relations and agricultural innovation and technology. They proved the viability of intensive horticulture on the Nepean River floodplain using mechanically assisted flood mitigation. The Chinese practised a form of labour-intensive agriculture that produced high yields per acre on small farms. They were efficient and effective innovators, hardworking, and occupied a niche in the Camden agricultural economy. The legacy of the Camden Chinese market gardens is evident in many parts of the district, hidden in plain sight. The Chinese were upstanding citizens who contributed to local society and the economy, and their story adds a rich layer to the small country town of Camden, its sense of place and community identity,
