Andrew Leon

Andrew Leon was a prominent Chinese Australian businessman and agricultural pioneer who played a significant role in the economic development of North Queensland in the late nineteenth century. Born in China, probably in Zhongshan county, Guangdong, he arrived in Queensland in the mid-1860s after gaining experience in tropical agriculture in the West Indies. Closely connected to Hong Kong trading networks, Leon managed Sun Yee Lee & Co. at Cooktown and became a partner in Sun Chong Lee at Cairns. Through the Hap Wah Company, a Chinese-run plantation enterprise backed by substantial Hong Kong and local investment, he helped establish the first successful sugar crushing in the Cairns district, employing hundreds of workers and earning wide respect for its technical skill and innovation. Although the venture ultimately failed due to falling sugar prices and capital constraints, Leon remained committed to tropical agriculture and property investment. A naturalised citizen, he bridged Chinese and European communities, representing Chinese interests while fully participating in Cairns’ civic and business life.

Source: National Dictionary of Biography - Andrew Leon

See also: Andrew Leon