Share
Two Centuries of Chinese Heritage in Western Australia
See Sing & Co.
Season 1, Ep. 6
•
In this episode, Associate Professor Yu Tao joins Professor Benjamin Smith to uncover the remarkable story of See Sing & Co., a pioneering Chinese Australian business that served the remote communities of Cassac, Broome, and Roebourne during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Their conversation reveals how this little-known enterprise functioned as a lifeline for settlers in the north while reflecting the broader experiences of early Chinese Western Australians navigating opportunity, adversity, and belonging. As Western Australia transformed from colony to state, See Sing & Co. offers a powerful lens into the resilience, adaptability, and enduring legacy of Chinese-run businesses in the region’s evolving social and economic landscape.
More episodes
View all episodes
12. The Hidden Half
36:26||Season 1, Ep. 12In this final episode of the season, A/Prof Yu Tao and Lucy Hair come together to uncover the overlooked histories of Chinese women in Western Australia. They reflect on the lives of figures such as Rose Soong Quong, Grace Wang Ah Key, and others whose stories are only now emerging from immigration files, archival traces, and family memories. Their conversation highlights the experiences of women who navigated exclusion and constraint while shaping family and community life in enduring ways. As the season concludes, this episode invites listeners to rethink the gendered contours of migration and belonging within the broader tapestry of Western Australia’s Chinese heritage.
11. Felix Wong and Café Canton
32:37||Season 1, Ep. 11This episode features Yu Tao and Lucy Hair in conversation about the remarkable story of Felix Wong, the original founder of Café Canton. Long before the restaurant gained fame under Wong Sue during the Second World War, Felix Wong opened its doors in 1929—a period when Western Australia’s Chinese community was shrinking under restrictive immigration policies. Through his determination to build a business and keep his family together, Felix Wong’s story offers a moving glimpse into the resilience and everyday perseverance of Chinese Australians during a difficult era.
10. Two Centuries on Display
29:07||Season 1, Ep. 10This episode features Yu Tao, Benjamin Smith, and Lucy Hair in conversation about the forthcoming exhibition Making Home under Southern Skies: Two Centuries of Chinese Heritage in Western Australia. Drawing on the project’s digital archive of over 3,500 known migrants, alongside family histories and community contributions, the exhibition brings together two centuries of Chinese Western Australian stories on an unprecedented scale. Together, the hosts reflect on the inspirations behind the displays, the challenges of curating history into exhibition form, and the hopes for what visitors will take away from this landmark event.
9. Paul and Peter
26:44||Season 1, Ep. 9This episode features A/Prof Yu Tao reflecting on the lives and legacies of Paul Soong Quong and Peter Tom Yingman—two visionary leaders of the early Chinese community in Western Australia. Through personal stories and archival discoveries, Yu explores how these pioneers helped shape the cultural, political, and spiritual foundations of Chinese Australian life in the early 20th century. From church halls to Chinatown cafés, and from community activism to transnational advocacy, their contributions continue to resonate in the multicultural fabric of today’s WA.
8. Chinese Cabinet Makers
31:39||Season 1, Ep. 8This episode features A/Prof Yu Tao in conversation with Lucy Hair, exploring the untold stories of Chinese cabinet makers in early 20th-century Western Australia. Together, they examine how these skilled craftspeople navigated restrictive legislation, economic hardship, and social marginalisation—offering insight into the wider history of Chinese contributions to the state. Through personal stories and archival discoveries, this episode sheds light on a lesser-known chapter of Western Australia’s multicultural past.
7. A Mysterious Death in Onslow
40:46||Season 1, Ep. 7This episode features A/Prof Yu Tao in conversation with Prof Benjamin Smith, examining the mysterious death of Ah Hing, a Chinese laundryman in the late 19th-century town of Onslow, Western Australia. Drawing on witness testimonies and the official inquest, the hosts explore how this case sheds light on the lives and struggles of Chinese labourers in remote colonial outposts.
5. Chinese Market Gardens
34:42||Season 1, Ep. 5This episode features A/Prof Yu Tao in conversation with Lucy Hair and Prof Benjamin Smith, delving into the rich and often overlooked history of Chinese market gardens in Western Australia. Together, they reflect on the limited occupational opportunities for Chinese migrants in the early twentieth century, and how market gardening became both a livelihood and a lasting cultural contribution. The discussion also highlights the enduring legacy of these gardens, their role in shaping WA’s food culture, and the significance of recording these stories through digital storytelling and community engagement.
4. Liang Qichao's 1900 Visit to Western Australia
23:24||Season 1, Ep. 4In this episode, A/Prof Yu Tao revisits Liang Qichao’s little-known 1900 visit to Western Australia—a brief yet revealing moment in the history of the local Chinese community on the eve of Federation. Drawing on Two Centuries of Chinese Heritage in Western Australia (www.ChineseWA.net), this episode explores how Chinese migrants navigated both Australia’s nationhood and China’s reform movement.