Migrants who built multicultural Canberra now see it flourish
Chin and Sam arrived in Canberra in the 1970s when few Asians lived there; now Chinese culture thrives.
The couple remember when finding Chinese food meant waiting for supplies from Sydney and only ten Chinese families lived nearby. Canberra felt quiet and empty.
Almost 50 years later, Chinese supermarkets and restaurants dot the city. Lunar New Year is celebrated openly, and thousands now flood Civic for the National Multicultural Festival.
Their daughter grew up without questioning whether being Chinese made her less Australian. For Chin and Sam, now in their seventies, the change is deeply personal.
They helped build multicultural Canberra, which is why recent debate about migration feels like stepping backward.
- 1970s
- Arrival decade
- Approximately 10 in their circle
- Chinese families then
- Both in their 70s
- Couple's current age
- Racial Discrimination Act 1975
- Key legislation
Why it mattersThe story shows how migration builds flourishing communities when it is welcomed, and reflects the anxiety when that welcome starts to fade.
AustraliaMigrants and their descendants are watching Australia's multicultural gains and wondering whether the nation still believes in its own success story.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 5 d ago
