Our Stories

Articles / News
March 27, 2026

Lambing Flat petition names now on Chindex

Was your Chinese ancestor in Australia at Lambing Flat at the time of the riots...
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February 16, 2026

Kung Hei Fat Choy! Happy Year of the Horse 2026

Wishing all our followers a fulfilling year. Our photo features Chinese Masonic Society member Mr...
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‘Bark Huts in Chinatown, Tambaroora’, American and Australasian Photographic Company, 1870-75, Holtermann Collection, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales.
November 18, 2025

Chinese Masons on the goldfields of New South Wales

By Juanita Kwok 18 November 2025 After landing taxes were introduced in Victoria in 1855...
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Chinese Masonic Badge that belonged to Charles Yow Senior
November 13, 2025

Chinese Masonic badge belonging to Charles Yow Senior

By Juanita Kwok, 13 November 2025 This Chinese Masonic Badge belonged to Charles Yow Senior...
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Photo of the Bendigo Joss House Temple courtesy of Leigh McKinnon 2025
November 11, 2025

Chinese Masons on the Victorian gold fields

By Juanita Kwok, November 2025 In 1854, ships from Hong Kong bearing Chinese men from...
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Chinese Masonic Sign (Albury City Collection ARM 92.009)
October 23, 2025

The origins of the Hung League in Australia

Juanita Kwok 23 October 2025 The Hung League/Yee Hing is believed to have originated in...
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October 20, 2025

The earliest incarnation of the Chinese Masonic Society in Australia?

By Juanita Kwok 20 October 2025 Part of frieze – Carved scene with three sheep...
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Chinese Masonic Sign (Albury City Collection ARM 92.009)
October 17, 2025

The Chinese Masonic Society in Australia

By Juanita Kwok Chinese Masonic Sign (Albury City Collection ARM 92.009) The Chinese Masonic Society...
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March 22, 2025

Was Graham Lupp’s great-grandfather Wong E. at Lambing Flat?

By Juanita Kwok, 22 March 2025 Artist and architectural historian Dr Graham Lupp is one...
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March 11, 2025

Was Wong Sat at Lambing Flat at the time of the 1861 riots?

By Juanita Kwok 11 March 2025 Photograph of Wong Sat by Tesla Studios, Source: Powerhouse...
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Lambing Flat riots petition, 1864 - Wong Sat
February 26, 2025

Lambing Flat Riots and Chinese Petitions

The Lambing Flat riots were a series of riots between 1860 and 1861, in which...
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February 11, 2024

Happy Chinese New Year!

Best wishes from the Our Chinese Past team for an auspicious Chinese New Year 2024
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Gravestone of Thomas See, Armidale Cemetery (2016). Photo courtesy of Joanne Real
February 2, 2024

IDENTIFYING TEMPLE DONORS – “Cheung Ah Tze” 張阿四 Thomas See

By Juanita Kwok and Gill Oxley Amongst the temple artefacts Our Chinese Past (OCP) researched...
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November 30, 2023

Vale Malcolm Oakes 1949-2023

Kira Brown, Gill Oxley, Paul Macgregor, Ely Finch and I are devastated at the loss...
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September 25, 2023

Queensland Museum’s Chinese collections

One of the largest of the Queensland Museum’s Chinese collections is the Kwong Sang Collection.
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July 22, 2023

Silk cloth inscribed by Liang Qichao, probably when in Inverell, NSW, in 1901

Likely written for Inverell storekeeper Fong Mon How, this poem expresses support for the Chinese...
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Sam Bow’s store at Rocky River. Image courtesy of Janice Wilton, Heritage Futures Database project supported by the Heritage Futures Research Centre, University of New England, Armidale, 2009.
July 22, 2023

The four sons of Cheng Sam Bow and Mrs Minnie Bow of Rocky River

Sam Bow’s store at Rocky River. Image courtesy of Janice Wilton, Heritage Futures Database project...
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July 22, 2023

The Melbourne See Yup Temple stelae: a genealogical resource

These stelae are inscribed with thousands of Chinese characters, and list the names of the...
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Pig oven at Pine Creek NT
February 25, 2021

Pieces of Eight: Pig Ovens

The Our Chinese Past Temples Project is looking at artefacts from at least 8 Chinese...
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Main altar Chinese Temple Rocky River 1908, Golden Threads Scan
February 9, 2021

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year in 2021 begins on 12 February. Back in 1880, Chinese New Year's...
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Beverly Oakes - Australian born Chinese
February 4, 2021

Introducing Our Chinese Past member – Malcolm Oakes

My name is Malcolm Oakes and I am a member of Our Chinese Past. I’m...
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September 30, 2020

Our Names

Our English name “Our Chinese Past” was selected to reflect our view of Australia’s Chinese...
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Portrait of translator Ely Finch 2019
September 15, 2020

Introducing Our Chinese Past Translator – Ely Finch

My name is Ely Finch and I have the honour to be the translator for...
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Carved Gilded panel on display at McCrossin's Mill museum
August 22, 2020

Chinese shepherds in NSW

This is a section of a long carved and gilded panel on display at McCrossin’s...
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Emmaville Mining Museum
August 2, 2020

Emmaville was once known as “Vegetable Creek”

Emmaville was once known by the name “Vegetable Creek” because of the large number of...
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