NEWS
The “Father of Chinatown” Eddie Liu has been singled out for special mention in a book of photographs taken by long-serving and retiring councillor David Hinchliffe. The Central Ward councillor took the snaps for a special book Faces Of Chinatown to mark the 25th anniversary of the Chinatown mall.
It will be launched at this month’s Chinese New Year’s Eve celebrations. In his foreword to the book, Cr Hinchliffe says: “It has been a great honour to represent Chinatown and the local community as city councillor for the last 24 years.
“Chinatown was established 25 years ago by the ‘Father of Chinatown’, Eddie Liu, former Local Government Minister Russ Hinze, Head of Local Government, Ken Mead and then Lord Mayor Sallyanne Atkinson.
“There is a rich Chinese history in Brisbane going back to the mid-1850s. The Chinese ‘diaspora’ has seen more people emigrate from that country than any other in world history. Many came to settle in Brisbane over the last 150 years. Sadly, many faced serious discrimination.
“Enoggera and Breakfast Creeks were popular locations for Chinese settlements, with many establishing market gardens at Paddington, Newmarket and Windsor in the 1800s to supply the fledgling Brisbane community with fresh vegetables. A ‘Joss’ House at Breakfast Creek opened in 1884 to service those practising Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism.
“It was while Councillor for Chinatown that I discovered my own family’s link with early Chinese settlers. My great great grandfather came to Queensland from the southern provinces of China in the late 1800s in search of gold. Chinatown is enriched by the hard work of so many traders, restaurateurs, doctors, dentists, jewellers and colourful characters.
“I’ve enjoyed taking photos of the many wonderful business people and characters of Chinatown and the Valley. I hope you enjoy this brief celebration of the faces of Chinatown as we celebrate our first quarter century.”
Cr Hinchliffe and Chinatown Committee chairman Mr Chiu-Hing Chan will launch the Faces of Chinatown project on 20 January. The images of local identities will be projected onto the sides of two-to-three storey buildings around Chinatown and Brunswick Street Mall at night on 20 and 21 January.
The coffee-table book album will be distributed to all Brisbane City Council libraries and Chinatown traders as a historical reference of the Chinatown Mall. The book will also be available through the Australian Chinese General Chamber of Business (admin@acgcb.org.au). C
r Hinchliffe said: “I am pleased as the local councillor for 24 years of its 25 years to be associated with Chinatown. This book and projection project is a fitting way to thank Chinatown traders and personalities.”
The projection will also have an interactive element, giving audience the opportunity to project their shadow and trigger audio/visual surprises during the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Young Queenslander of the Year and Chinatown Committee chairman Mr Chiu-Hing Chan said: “Chinatown has changed so much in 25 years with the fusion of other Asian cultures such as Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese which makes choosing which restaurant to go to even harder.”
Close to $3000 was spent on the four weeks planned projection display, that will bring Chinatown to life by putting a face to one of our city’s cultural centres.
