Ken Cheung OAM

In the early 1980s, many former residents of Papua New Guinea living in Brisbane would often meet at Kingston Sports Centre for an informal get-together. The young people would play squash or tennis while the oldies inquired about where each other was living and how they were finding their new country. One day, someone suggested that we should try and assist the many Vietnamese who were arriving in Brisbane. From the very beginning, the aim of doing something for the community was very much supported.

We incorporated the Cathay Club in 1981 by drawing up a constitution, electing office bearers, and having members who were willing to pay an annual fee. Surprisingly, most were happy to join an association that they understood was formed in the spirit of not-for-profit. We had a committee of over 20 members. However, as time went on this began to shrink as people dropped out.

Beginning in 1984, we commenced the Grant in Aid from the Department of Immigration, to assist new migrants to understand Australia’s welfare system and how they could apply for and receive Government assistance. We were able to do this successfully through the generous terms of David Seeto and Eric Chin in renting to the association a small office in Cameron House, which was a stone’s throw from Duncan Street, which would be the future heart of Chinatown. Brisbane City Council had already drawn up plans to beautify and make this into a mall that would attract locals as well as tourists. There would be stone lions and a huge gateway at both ends.

We stayed in the Valley Precinct for nearly 30 years; moving office three times. The second time was above the car park next to the mall. Initially, we had a whole floor to run our activities. This was the time when we were able to expand our weekend Chinese School for children as well as classes for seniors. As the Valley prospered, our landlord started to take back our rooms as we were only paying a nominal rent with no outgoings. Eventually, we got squeezed out. We then moved to Wickham Street, which is a very busy one-way thoroughfare that people used when they were rushing to Brisbane Airport.

Front L-R: Cathy Lui, Ken Cheung OAM, Dr Mervyn Cheong, Isobel Seeto; Back L-R: Ang Li, Eddie Yun, Louis Chan, Peter Cheg

With the dawn of the new millennium, Chinatown had become very busy. In the beginning, we could park out front all day. However, the Council started putting up ‘No Parking’ signs or restricting parking to certain hours. Eventually, you could stop for 15 minutes only; our parking bill was starting to match our rental. Members did not visit as it was easier to buy everything on the south side. The new suburbs of Sunnybank and Macgregor were flourishing, and both people and businesses were moving there. We could see the writing on the wall. Our next move would be to the south side, as close to Sunnybank as possible, and it would need to have plenty of parking.

Finally, we found a warehouse that suited our purpose. After purchasing a property at Annie Street in Coopers Plains, we made extensive renovations to include a medium-sized hall seating up to 150 diners with allowable overflow onto a patio. The new premises included staff offices, ample storage, and most importantly, plenty of parking. We made the move over Christmas at the end of 2013 and opened for business in early 2014. Since then, we have not looked back.

Our centre has a full-size commercial kitchen that equips us to serve lunches on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, to our seniors. The Centre is equipped with toilets and shower rooms, and plenty of storage. Plans have been drawn up to add a mezzanine floor above the downstairs toilets and storeroom that will give us room to fit some 10 workstations for the potential growth in staff numbers.

Volunteers in the Cathay kitchen

In 2022, we celebrated our 40th Anniversary on the 9th of October—a little bit late! Luckily there was a lull in the number of Covid-19 cases so we rushed it through. It was an important milestone. I am very glad that we were able to celebrate it.

Today, the Commonwealth Home Support Program is our only program. We have eight Taragos that are being replaced with the Kia Capital Special Vehicles (CSV) to accommodate wheelchairs. This means we can pick up clients and bring them four days a week to Annie Street where we provide a cooked meal, activities, and free time before returning them home.

We offer a similar service for clients who live on the north side. We hire the Bowls Club at Aspley to run the Social Support Group. Our cooks do the cooking so clients are very happy. Now and again, we bring them to the centre at Coopers Plains, but it is a 45-minute drive so by the time you pick a few people up, time-wise it takes at least an hour, which as you know, most seniors find difficult. On special occasions like the Moon Festival or Christmas, we take clients to a restaurant, and we regularly organise one-day bus trips to the Sunshine Coast or the Gold Coast. We have not organised an overnight trip away for some time. So we have a varied program, particularly for those who are more active.

I was awarded The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2015 for some 34 years of continuous volunteer work, and whilst I stepped down as President of the Cathay Community Association of Brisbane at the end of June 2022, I still volunteer today—I am still on the committee, but as an adviser. •

Editor’s Note: This article is an update of an earlier story published in the Autumn 2022 issue 82 of Kundu News, per the kind approval of Patricia Chow, Kundu News Editor, for the Papua New Guinea Chinese Catholic Association of Australia. Ken Cheung OAM, of the Cathay Community Association, Brisbane.