Year 9 Urban Systems Project – by Mei Ting Rao

 Sets up business and trade  Introduces cultural traditions and customs  Establishes Chinatown  Sets up language schools, speciality stores, restaurants, organisations  Richmond – late twentieth century became central shopping/grocery district

 Along with thousands other immigrants, the Chinese flocked to Australia after the discovery of gold in Australia in By 1858, the Chinese in Australia had peaked at 42,000, which quadrupled over the next four decades.

 The Chinese brought their customs and traditional cuisine to Australia. Many restaurants were opened in Melbourne which pushed the popularity for Asian food. The Chinese continued to celebrate traditional festivals and adapted festival customs to suit their living conditions in Australia.

 Some of the Chinese became extremely rich due to their success with the gold rush, which attracted jealousy and discrimination from other nationalities living in Australia. The Chinese kept arriving in Australia in search of a new life from oppressive imperial rule back in China from the Qing dynasty. Chinese immigrants being questioned by customs

 In 1901, the Australian Federation occurred to break from British Rule. The ‘White Australia Policy’ became enforced to reduce the flow of non-European immigrants that arrived in Australia by the means of language testing. The number of Chinese dwindled and their social network became greatly reduced.

 The Chinese people already settled in Australia formed protests against prejudice. A number of wealthy merchants and a Chinese missionary joined together to publish a document called The Chinese question in Australia, which called for people to recognise the Chinese’s contribution to the development of Melbourne’s society. Immigrants once again became encouraged after the catastrophes of the two world wars. The Chinese Question in Australia displayed in Melbourne Immigration Centre

 The first boarding houses in Little Bourke Street were recorded in 1855, but the street gradually became a regular stop for miners stopping to replenish their supplies before heading off to work. Many stores became opened to cater for these miners and more Chinese began to gather in this district Children in the house doorway

1960’s Little Bourke Street 2000’s Little Bourke Street

 Chinese organisations placed their headquarters in Chinatown and the place thrived with storekeepers, importers, furniture makers, herbalists, fruit and vegetable wholesalers and restaurant keepers. Chinatown became an important residential area for the settlers as well as a key economic and social hub in Melbourne. Chinese Gospel Hall

 In Richmond, the Chinese were most noted for their supply of fresh food and groceries. Many Chinese people owned the surrounding market gardens. Flowers, vegetables and fruits were produced on small squares of land that were directly sold to customers. Market gardens gradually closed as the land required for infrastructure and road constructions.

 After the removal of the Immigration Restriction Policies in 1972, business returned to all suburbs and Richmond became a concentrated area for Asian groceries. Many Chinese immigrants were employed as workers in the factories along the Yarra River. Richmond remained a widely popular shopping district until it was overtaken by other suburbs such as Preston and Boxhill.

 Today, the number of people with Chinese backgrounds in Melbourne sits at around 200,000 and continues to grow rapidly. Many Chinese people arrive in Australia arrive as students or skilled immigrants, meaning they have received high level of tertiary education or possess some form of professional skills.

 Chinese food is one of the most popular cuisines across the world. The most well-known form of traditional Chinese cuisine in Western countries is Canton Yum Cha. Chinese food is popular for its exotic taste and diverse range. Countless Chinese restaurants and fast food franchise are opened across Melbourne.

 Chinatown is a popular tourist resort in Melbourne. The ‘Facing Heaven’ archway in the entrances of Chinatown are replicas of the same gate in Nanjing Province back in China. The traditional styled architecture in Chinatown have been well preserved today. Many well-known restaurants are situated in Melbourne, such as Shark Fin and Dragon Boat. The Museum of Chinese Australian History was opened in 1905 and still remains standing in Cohen Place.

 Many children descended from first and second generation attend Chinese language schools to study Chinese as their second language for VCE. Cultural fairs are often held in the districts of Preston, Boxhill and the Melbourne CBD to celebrate traditional festivals such as the Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival and the Moon Festival.

 The presence of the Chinese people have greatly contributed to Melbourne’s society. They have enhanced Australia’s multicultural diversity and united with all the other nationalities.

Websites: Books: American Geographical Society: China – Around the World Program by Theodore Herman, published by Nelson Doubleday, Inc 1966, printed in the United States of America Visits/ interview: - Immigration Museum, Melbourne - The Museum of Chinese Australian History, Melbourne