Making Home Under Southern Skies

Tracing two centuries of Chinese heritage in Western Australia.

This exhibition explores the journeys, contributions, and legacies of Chinese West Australians from the 1830s to the 2020s.

Over the past two years, with support from the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, the Two Centuries of Chinese Heritage in Western Australia project has developed a unique online portal documenting every Chinese migrant known to have lived in Western Australia between 1830 and 1930. To date, the project has identified more than 3,500 individuals and begun celebrating their lives and legacies.

Drawing on this growing digital archive, the exhibition offers glimpses into the past, reconnecting audiences with the stories of Chinese Western Australians who lived, worked, and contributed to the state across two centuries. These individuals helped shape the foundations of modern Western Australia, even though their contributions and stories have long been overlooked.

Image: E. A Lums shop, Subiaco, 1938 from State Library collection. State Library WA 095481PD