STEP behind the scenes of the Australian Centre for Gold Rush Collections, as guides take visitors on a tour of historic Chinese cultural artefacts.
Head of collections and curatorial Lauren Bourke said the aim is to highlight the “moving” role the Chinese community has played in Ballarat since the 1850s.
“The Chinese story here is so important, and the Chinese were a big part of the transformation that gold had on Australia,” she said.
“There were thousands of Chinese miners living here, and at one point, one in four people on the diggings were Chinese, with many going on to stay, to start their own families in Ballarat, and become a big part of the community.
“As a result, we have one of the most significant collections of objects and items relating to Chinese cultural heritage in Ballarat, and Australia, so we’re opening up our back-of-house, bringing the public into the vaults, and sharing the stories which have been hidden, embedded in the objects we’re caring for.”
The collection includes pieces like Loong the processional dragon, intricate temple boards, and headdresses.
The event is designed to deliver on the centre’s aim to elevate the living museum’s collections and let as many people engage with the archives as possible.
“We have over 150,000 objects in the collection, and a small proportion have been on display,” she said.
The event is set for this Tuesday, 30 May from 10.45am, but will run regularly in rotation with the centre’s artifact, and fashion and textile tours.