Chinatowns are often portrayed as gritty underworlds riddled with prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking. Some of this is rooted in truth, but that unfair depiction is largely the result of rampant xenophobia and cultural ignorance, especially in the West.
In a series of articles, the Post explores the historical and social significance of major Chinatowns around the world and the communities that shape them.
Sydney’s Chinatown is a reflection of how the Chinese-Australian community helped shape the city’s identity.
Its story mirrors Australia’s complex relationship with immigration, from the “White Australia” policy to today’s celebration of multiculturalism and the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
From its humble beginnings in The Rocks to its current home in Haymarket, Chinatown has weathered exclusion and undergone reinvention and cultural renaissance.
The first Chinese settlers arrived in Sydney as early as 1818, but it was the 1850s gold rush that sparked a significant influx.