Oral histories offer important historical insights into our past (and present), particularly for groups, such as Chinese immigrants and their descendants, who have been side-lined and overlooked in our histories. I am a member of the Oral History Victoria and have had the pleasure of conducting a number of oral history interviews with descendants of Chinese immigrants.

Oral histories are not only important sources of historical information but can also be used in lots of different and exciting ways to present to the wider public. I’ve really enjoyed working with oral histories to produce other kinds of history.

I developed the ‘Remembering Chinatown’ self-guided audio tour of Melbourne’s Little Bourke Street area for the Chinese Museum. This project received a Commendation in the Multimedia category at Victorian Community History Awards in 2009.

I also worked with Jean Chen to pull together existing oral history interviews into a multimedia display for the ‘The Chungking Legation: Australia’s diplomatic mission in wartime China‘ exhibition and Kate Bagnall and I also worked together to include oral history quotes in the exhibition book. The multimedia display and book was highly commended by judges of the Oral History Association (Victoria) Innovation Awards in 2015.

Working with lead curator, Moya McFadzean, I conducted and edited oral history interviews which were animated and displayed with significant objects as part of the Immigration Museum’s ‘British Migrants: Instant Australians?‘ travelling exhibition in 2017.

I have recorded multiple oral history interviews for the Museum of Chinese Australian History and seven interviews as part of the National Library of Australia’s ‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project‘ and the ‘Scots in Australia oral history project’.

List of Chinese Australian oral histories recorded:

Fay Anderson (b.1934, Ballarat, Victoria), recorded 2010
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Linda Hsia Chin (b.1937), recorded 2022
(‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project’, National Library of Australia)

Robert Dawson (b.1931, Carlton, Melbourne), recorded 2011
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

William Sang Fong (1927), recorded 2010
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Adrian Hem (b.1943), recorded 2022
(‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project’, National Library of Australia)

Elizabeth Huang (b. 1939), recorded 2022-3
(‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project’, National Library of Australia)

Wesley Jame (b.1949), recorded 2023
(‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project’, National Library of Australia)

Raymond Kim (b.1923, Casterton, Victoria), recorded 2011
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Walter Kwan (b.1926, Shekki, Kwangtung), recorded 2011
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Marjorie Law (b.1934, Lacey Place, Melbourne), recorded 1999
(‘Australia-China Oral History Project’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Winnie Lee, recorded 2009
(as Curator, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Alan Lew (b.1926, Toisan, Kwangtung), recorded 2008
(‘Remembering Chinatown Walking Tour’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Raymond Lew Boar (b.1934, Celestial Ave, Melbourne), recorded 2008
(‘Remembering Chinatown Walking Tour’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Paul Liu (b.1928, Toisan, Kwangtung), recorded 2011
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Jennifer Martin (b.1962), recorded 2023
(‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project’, National Library of Australia)

May Poon (b.1914), recorded 2008
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Albert Quai Hoi (b.1922, Brunswick, Melbourne)
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Possy (Dorothy) Thorne (b.1928, Preston, Melbourne), recorded 2011
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Mabel Wang (b.1924), recorded 2008
(‘Remembering Chinatown Walking Tour’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Mark Wang (b.1952), recorded 2023
(‘Australians with Chinese heritage oral history project’, National Library of Australia)

Alfred Whee (b.1939, Hong Kong), recorded 2010
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Ken Wing Jan, recorded 2009
(as Curator, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Alex Woon (b.1916, Carlton, Melbourne), recorded 2011
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)

Kevin Yon (b.1921, Brunswick, Melbourne), recorded 2010
(‘Saving Chinese-Australian memories from the White Australia period’, Museum of Chinese Australian History)