January 9th, 1868 marked the end of 80 years of continuous convict transportation to Australia. For 80 years the prisoners' free labour had built the cities and towns in the colonial outpost.

At the same time, China was in a period of overpopulation, insufficient food supply, and was suffering from the effects of multiple natural disasters occurring in quick succession. Many families chose to pool their wealth together to send an able-bodied family member overseas to seek financial security, and Chinese immigration grew quickly as convict populations in Australia decreased.