25% of the current population of the Municipality of Melbourne are of Chinese ancestry, and our Chinatown’s long and living history stands as testament to the prominence of the community’s enduring presence since the Founding of Melbourne in the 1830s.

Whilst Chinatown stands as the beacon for business in the City, there is an unawareness that Carlton, North Melbourne and Fitzroy were the suburbs where the Chinese community lived up until the 1950s in close proximity to where they worked, which included the Victoria Market.

The Chinese Museum is to embark on a major study and research over the next two years that will bring to light the community beyond the shopkeepers of Chinatown, to link them to their families and where they lived in the inner suburbs of Melbourne.

The Chinese Melbourne Project calls on all Chinese people whose families lived in the Municipality of Melbourne in the 1800s and 1900s to come forward to tell their story of Chinese Melbourne!

Chinese Melbourne Reunion

As part of its Chinese Melbourne project, the Chinese Museum will host the first of many reunions of Chinese families and community groups on the 19 August from 1:30 pm at the Museum. Past and present inhabitants of the Chinatown area will attend an afternoon tea to recollect, reminisce and re-experience records of Melbourne Chinatown of yesterday.  

Please register your name and we will be in touch.

Image credit:

Melbourne Chinese Church of Christ, from realcommercial.com.au

Supported by: