ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a brief history of Chinese immigration to Australia, focusing on their presence in Melbourne. It gives details of past and present Chinatowns, their role in the construction of Chinese otherness in Western cities, and their new forms in recent times. The chapter focuses on the role of the physical form of housing in the process of settlement of twelve Chinese participants in various suburbs of Melbourne. Works that have focused on migrants from Asian countries explore variations in ways of life and housing structure. The chapter presents two kinds of houses: past homes in the homeland and current houses in Melbourne. It investigates participants' narratives around their current houses, tracking links and relations to former homes in China. The more material signs of home-building practices were the presence of Chinese decorations and traditional artefacts inside the house.
