Chinatown

Chinatown

The Melbourne audio-guided tour reveals Chinatown, the city's important Chinese district. Born in the 1850s, it is among the oldest Chinatowns in the Western world and retains a strong identity in the heart of the centre.

A district born of the gold rush

In the 1850s, the gold rush attracted immigrants from all over the world, including thousands of Chinese prospectors. They settled in the eastern half of Little Bourke Street, a point of transit and supply on the way to the goldfields of central Victoria. At the end of the gold fever, part of the community stayed, making this district a lasting home of Chinese culture in Australia.

What there is to see

Chinatown, between Bourke, Lonsdale, Swanston and Spring streets, unfolds its traditional gates, its restaurants, its grocery shops and its boutiques. It is a high point of Melbourne's Asian gastronomy and the heart of the community's great festivals, such as Chinese New Year, which enlivens its streets with dances and colours. The district also houses a museum dedicated to the history of the Chinese in Australia.

Practical information

Chinatown is freely walkable on foot, around Little Bourke Street, in the centre of Melbourne. Accessible at any time, the district is particularly lively in the evening and during festivals. Restaurants, shops and the museum follow their own hours. It is a gourmet and cultural stop of the city visit.

When was Melbourne's Chinatown founded ?

In the 1850s, with the gold rush; it is one of the oldest Chinatowns in the Western world.

What can be done in Chinatown ?

Discover its Asian restaurants and shops, its museum and its great festivals, such as Chinese New Year.