The City of Greater Bendigo has recognised the Golden Dragon Museum’s collection of 30,000 items with a with a Statement of Significance from curator and historian Sophie Couchman. This has happened as the City has decided to invest $125,000 in the museum’s redevelopment project.
This is pretty awesome as it is a collection built over 150 years and it preserves the history of Chinese migration into Australia. During the mid 1800s, the Chinese came to Australia for a chance to strike it rich with the Gold Rush. After a number of linch mobs, riots and Australian Government sanctioned racist discrimination against the Chinese, the history and the community which came afterwards (including descendants) are now being preserved.
Here is a quote from the Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo Jennifer Alden (via Bendigo Advertiser):
“The preliminary work done by Sophie Couchman is actually showing us we have an amazing asset here in Bendigo,”
“We already knew it was a wonderful asset culturally but the significance is not only locally, but also statewide and nationally with some items of international significance.“
“The collections manager will be cataloging, conserving and looking at the storage and exhibition of the collection.”
Here is a quote on this redevelopment by the Golden Dragon Museum chief executive Hugo Leschen (via Bendigo Advertiser):
“The dragons are the centre of the collection but it is much more than them – there are documents, photographs, jade, textiles, and all sorts of objects that amount to almost 30,000 items,”
Awesome stuff!
Images via Bendigo Advertiser