This article traces the rise of C H Warley and Co., one of Fremantle’s largest shops in the early 1900s, and its founder, Chan Harr. Yu Tao shows how the business not only impressed visiting reformer Liang Qichao but also actively supported local causes and overcame challenges such as plague and racial exclusion. Chan Harr later emerged as a national advocate for Chinese merchants and helped pioneer major department stores in Hong Kong, highlighting the global reach and civic contributions of Chinese Australians.

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This article explores the little-known histories of Chinese-born women in pre-war Western Australia. Lucy Hair shows that, although their numbers were small, these women—often arriving as brides—raised families and supported their communities. Drawing on our digital portal, the article highlights their contributions and calls for further research to recover their overlooked stories. It also notes the presence of women considered ‘Chinese by marriage,’ including those born in Japan and other countries, underscoring the diversity and complexity of early Chinese-Australian histories.

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This article explores the overlooked experiences of Chinese men confined to psychiatric asylums in late nineteenth-century Western Australia. Lucy Hair shows how, without local family support, some Chinese sojourners—temporary migrant workers—were admitted to institutions like Whitby Falls. Remarkably, they formed a significant part of the asylum’s early population and contributed their labour and gardening expertise to its upkeep.

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See Sing & Co., a pioneering Chinese-Australian enterprise in late 19th-century Cossack, Western Australia, served as a vital commercial and cultural hub in the remote northwest, embodying the resilience, adaptability, and enduring contributions of early Chinese migrants amid harsh conditions and exclusionary policies.

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Peter Tom Yingman, an influential Chinese community leader in early 20th-century Western Australia, devoted his life to fostering cultural understanding, advocating tirelessly for Chinese Australians, and nurturing institutions that strengthened community bonds, leaving an enduring legacy of leadership, education, and cross-cultural dialogue.

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Paul Soong Quong, a Methodist minister and community leader in early 20th-century Western Australia, played a pivotal role in bridging cultures, advocating for Chinese migrants, and shaping the Chung Wah Association, leaving a lasting legacy of integration, justice, and community-building. 

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See Wah & Co. Ltd was a Chinese-owned furniture company in West Perth (1904–1919) that faced legal and regulatory challenges under the Factories Act, fought an unsuccessful court battle against racial restrictions, yet remained profitable and contributed to local charities before eventually dissolving. 

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In the early 20th century, Chinese market gardeners played a vital role in feeding Western Australians despite facing systemic discrimination, restrictive immigration policies, and racial prejudice — a legacy of resilience and contribution that echoes through the state’s history. 

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Chow Moon, the first known Chinese Western Australian, left an indelible mark on Perth and Fremantle as a skilled carpenter, boat builder, and pioneer of interracial marriage, with his legacy still echoing through Perth's oldest buildings, road safety laws, and even modern-day tributes. 

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