Tour walks you through pages of our Chinese history
A NEW tour through Cairns will give people the chance to try traditional Chinese gambling games and discover the Chinese community’s impact on the city.
The one-hour guided tour by the Cairns Museum and the Cairns and District Chinese Association (CADCAI) will start tomorrow.
Cairns Museum manager Suzanne Gibson said it was important to share the history of the area with both locals and visitors.
“We are very proud to be working with CADCAI’s heritage group to share the fantastic local history of Chinatown,” she said.
CADCAI heritage co-ordinator Mary Low said it was hard to avoid the Chinese community's influence on Cairns.
“In one small section of Grafton St, which was then Sachs St, you had major merchant firms, two temples, boarding houses, restaurants, a Chinese hospital and generations of families living and working,” he said.
The tours cost $20 per person and run tomorrow, Sunday and on Monday. For bookings just visit www.cairnsmuseum.org.au.
For those who can’t wait to immerse themselves in culture, tonight’s Lantern Festival will mark the final day of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations.
The festival will be held at the Chinese Friendship Garden on Greenslopes St from 5pm.
Lanterns will be available for $5, and there will be lion and dragon performers.