Wednesday Networking with Ms Kaylene Poon

CHINESE IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA – SOME HISTORY

Kaylene Poon is a fourth generation Chinese Australian, born and raised in Perth. She grew up in Northbridge next to the Chung Wah Association Hall. In 1986 she became the inaugural co-ordinator of the Chung Wah Historical Group and remained in this role until 2009. From 1999 until 2010 she was the organiser of the school visits program “Restricted Entry” to the Chung Wah Hall, a program initiated by Catholic Education funding. Kaylene’s interest in history relates to the early Chinese in Western Australia.

In 2011 she was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame to acknowledge her voluntary work in the Chinese community for over 30 years.

Kaylene was the Local History Officer for the City of Melville for 11 plus years until retirement beckoned in mid-2019. Previously she was a Visitor Services Officer at the WA Museum (Fremantle sites) for over 11 years.  She was appointed the Hon. Historical Advisor for Chung Wah Association in 2018 and is often the ‘go to’ person for many local heritage/history organisations seeking WA Chinese information.  Kaylene continues to research, document and promote Chinese history in WA, conduct oral histories and mind her two granddaughters.

Kaylene will talk about the history of some Chinese families in Western Australia