Chinese Burial SitePrint Page 
The plaque, erected by the Royal Western Australian Historical Association, commemorates the Chinese burial site and those who lay in unmarked graves. An official memorial erected by the Chung Wah Association to these early pioneers is located in the East Perth Cemeteries.
The Chinese were introduced into the colony as labourers and did not receive very formal funerals as they were generally treated as outcasts in both life and death. Many Christians refused to allow 'heathen' Chinese to be buried in consecrated land, and others stipulated that they be buried in fenced off 'Chinese' or 'alien' areas.
A letter written by Acting Commissioner of Crown lands, J.W. Brooking to the Colonial Secretary in September 1888 asked that the northern half of Perth Town Lot E69 be gazetted as a Chinese Cemetery. Until then it had been designated as a general cemetery reserve.
Unlike the other cemeteries, the Chinese one was not vested in the Chinese community as there were very few Chinese living in Perth at the time. In fact, it was not until the 1914 that a Chinese association was formed and began to lobby the Government.
Location
| Address: | Bronte Street, West of Plain Street, East Perth, 6004 |
|---|---|
| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -31.955833 Long: 115.876389 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Culture |
| Sub-Theme: | Community |
| Approx. Event End Date: | September-1994 |
Dedication
In death, remote from family, friends and the traditions of their homeland, many Chinese who emigrated to Western Australia in the latter part of the nineteenth century were buried in unmarked graves at this site.
An official memorial to these early pioneers is located in the East Perth Cemeteries.
Erected by the Royal Western Australian Historical Society,
September 1994.
