Shared Connections: Cantonese Stories in Australia

Tracing 200 years of Cantonese–Australian connections

3 September 2025 — 31 December 2025

Australian-Consulate-General in Guangzhou

Overview

Shared Connections: Cantonese Stories in Australia explores more than two centuries of Cantonese migration and contribution to Australian life. Currently on display at the Australian Consulate-General in Guangzhou, the exhibition brings together stories of early settlers, community leaders, and descendants whose experiences continue to shape the cultural and social fabric of both Australia and Guangdong.

How this exhibition came about

The exhibition was initiated by Dr Timothy Kendall, Australian Consul-General in Guangzhou, to address the absence of a cohesive narrative about Cantonese migration to Australia. Research and exhibition content were developed for the Consulate, with the Museum of Chinese Australian History providing curatorial expertise and support to bring the project to fruition.

Exhibition Highlights

Visitors to Shared Connections will discover:

Pioneering figures such as Louis Ah Mouy, whose 1850s letter home helped spark the wave of Cantonese migration during the gold rush, and Tom See Poy, who built one of Queensland’s most successful family businesses.

Community leaders and innovators including Tse Tsan-tai, co-founder of the South China Morning Post; Roy Goon, a decorated WWII pilot; and Charles Oue Fong Lee, a civic leader in Darwin.

Cantonese women trailblazers such as Adelaide fashion retailer Gladys Sym Choon and international performer Rose Quong, who carved out spaces for their talent despite restrictive times.

Stories across generations, captured through video interviews with descendants returning to their ancestral villages in Guangdong, reflecting on identity, belonging, and memory.

Cultural symbols of continuity, such as the unveiling of a Cantonese lion head at the Consulate-General, crafted with both Australian and Guangdong traditions in mind.

Credits & Partners

Initiated by: Australian Consulate-General, Guangzhou

Research and Content: Australian Consulate-General, Guangzhou

Collaborating Institution: Museum of Chinese Australian History

This project is sponsored by:

Booking for this event has now closed.

Event details

Where

Australian-Consulate-General in Guangzhou

When

Start: 3^rd September, 2025 at 10:00am

End: 31^st December, 2025 at 10:00am

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