Date: Saturday 21 February 2026 | 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Chinese Museum, 22 Cohen Pl, Melbourne VlC
Booking for this event is free. If you wish to visit the entire Museum, a discounted admission fee of $8.50 can be paid at reception.

Step beyond cinematic myth and into real-life adventure with this illustrated talk by Professor Trevor Hay. Drawing on two of his recent books, Professor Hay uncovers the extraordinary exploits of three largely forgotten professor-adventurers who travelled through China, Mongolia and Tibet during the 1920s.

About the Talk

Introduced by veteran China documentary maker Harold Weldon.

From the dramatic discovery of a nest of dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert, to the controversial plundering of the Caves of a Thousand Buddhas on the fringes of Chinese Turkestan, and a clandestine meeting with the Dalai Lama inside the forbidden Potala Palace of Tibet, this talk reveals stories as thrilling as any Hollywood screenplay — and entirely real.

Harold Weldon has spent over 40 years working with China, building lasting cultural, artistic and business ties. He retraced China’s Long March twice, in 1985 and 2011, for major publications and is a former Australia–China Council member. He has received China’s National Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cultural Exchange and a Peabody Award for a documentary on the Chinese Army. A filmmaker, writer, publisher and advisor, Harold is a trusted bridge between East and West.

Book Sales & Signing

Professor Hay’s recent books: A DREAM OF TARTARY will be available for purchase on the day at a 25% author discount ($30) and can be signed after the talk.

Booking for this event has now closed.