The Making of Sydney's Chinatown: Stories of Migration, Community and Identity

Join expert Julie Lee, landscape architect, urban designer and President of the Chinese Australian Historical Society (CAHS), for a fascinating exploration of The Making of Sydney’s Chinatown: Stories of Migration, Community and Identity.

How did Sydney’s Chinatown become the vibrant and significant community it is today? This historical and place-based talk explores how Chinatown’s evolution has been shaped by political regulation, cultural policy and shifting national attitudes toward the Chinese diaspora.

Drawing on her lived experience growing up in Sydney’s Chinatown, as well as her work in heritage, public domain and cultural landscape practice, Julie reflects on how legislation, civic advocacy, multicultural reform and cultural expression have influenced the precinct’s identity over time. The talk offers a grounded perspective on Chinatown as a community shaped through history, policy and the everyday negotiation of belonging.

About the speaker

Julie Lee is a landscape architect, urban designer and President of the Chinese Australian Historical Society (CAHS). She is committed to recording and advancing recognition of Chinese contributions to Australia’s cultural and civic life. Having grown up in Sydney’s Chinatown, Julie brings a lived understanding of its community, identity and history, informing her heritage and cultural landscape work with a grounded, place‑based perspective.

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