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Chinese Heritage in Northern Australia Inc (CHINA Inc)
Tenth ‘no fuss’ biennial conference, Cairns, 24 to 25 October 2026
Call for Abstracts
Theme: Commemorations
Due date: 22 June 2026
‘Cairns No. 1 Joss House’, James Cossar Smith Photographs
Fryer Library, University of Queensland
Commemorations of Chinese Australian History in Northern Australia in 2026:
2026 is a significant year in the history of Chinese Australians, particularly in Cairns. The year commemorates the sesquicentenary of the first Chinese arrivals in Trinity Bay and Cairns; almost 50 years since the Cairns & District Chinese Association (CADCAI) began its cultural activities, and 40 years since its incorporation in 1986; over 40 years since historian Cathie May published Topsawyers: the Chinese in Cairns 1870 to 1920; and 20 years since CHINA Inc held its inaugural ‘Rediscovered Past’ conference. 2026 also commemorates the Lunar Year of the Fire Horse, symbolising courage, action, and survival.
Call for Abstracts - Commemorations:
Topics on the commemorations of Chinese Australian history and heritage across northern Australia, north of the Tropic of Capricorn, are welcome. These commemorations include anniversaries of Chinese settlements, businesses, enterprises, organisations and associations, community and family events and celebrations, as well as births, weddings, funerals and burials. Histories of Chinese New Year celebrations are also potential topics, as are accounts of archaeological and heritage sites and collections in galleries, libraries, and museums. In the Year of the Fire Horse, topics also include historical case studies of Chinese use of the horses.
Submissions and Presentations:
Submissions must include the name(s) of the presenter(s), the paper’s title and abstract (200-300 words), institution(s) (if applicable), contact details and brief biography (100 words max) for each speaker, including all speakers on a panel.
The CHINA Inc Committee will review submissions and inform each submitter. At the conference, the standard session presentation will be 20 minutes, with 10 minutes for question time. CHINA Inc will provide the opportunity to publish papers and issue guidelines soon. Please email the submissions to conference.chinainc@gmail.com
Conference Venue: Cairns Sheridan Hotel, 295 Sheridan Street, Cairns.
Excursions: Yet to be finalised.
Contact: To join the 2026 CHINA Inc Conference mailing list, please email conference.chinainc@gmail.com
About CHINA IncChinese Heritage in Northern Australia (CHINA Inc) is a not-for-profit association committed to promoting research and study into the Chinese Australian experience in northern Australia. It encourages the proper recording of Chinese Australian history and heritage.
The Chinese have made contact with northern Australia for several centuries, starting with sporadic visits by traders and fishermen and culminating in the large scale immigration of workers, miners, agriculturalists and business people during the 19th century. Indeed, there has been a long history of cultural diversity (which includes other peoples from the Asia Pacific region) and this, combined with the vast landscapes, tropical climate, and remote frontier conditions, created in northern Australia a dynamic social environment that was in many ways unique.
One of the key activities of CHINA Inc is the hosting of a biennial Northern Links Conference, far north Queensland. This ‘no fuss’ event brings together people from many disciplines – including history, archaeology, heritage management, law, literature, linguistics, art, and library science. Another activity is publishing a collection of selected articles based on papers presented at the CHINA Inc conference. CHINA Inc also provides a link to people undertaking genealogical research on Chinese Australian families.
Enquiries can be emailed to: china_nth@yahoo.com.au
