Ernest Kihang (SN 7575 and 9555), of Chinese descent, was born in Melbourne to parents James and Salina. After his initial enlistment he served for 122 days before being discharged as ‘not substantially of European descent’. At the age of 29, he re-enlisted in Ballarat on May 25th 1917 and, being a miner, he was assigned as a tunnelling company reinforcement. He embarked from Melbourne aboard the Nestor in February 1918 before joining the 2nd Tunnelling Company in France in May. After just three months in France a bout of influenza forced his evacuation to hospital in England. After the war he returned to Australia, reaching Melbourne in late September 1919. Just a month later he died in hospital in Melbourne, the cause of death unspecified.

While having a connection to Ballarat, Ernest is one of a number who served in the AIF but are not recognised with a tree in the Avenue. His brothers William and Herbert also served in the AIF and are honoured with trees in the Avenue.