From Bananas to Department Stores - History Week 2025: Water Stories

From Bananas to Department Stores

For centuries, the main sea routes travelled by the Chinese have been the southern seas and oceans. They have settled in every part of the Pacific, from nearby countries to the southern-most countries of Australia and New Zealand. A number of stories have been told of those who came to Australia. Here is one of those remarkable stories as told by Gordon Mar. His story begins with some early Chinese from Zhongshan County, including Gordons' forebears, founding a fruit store in 1890 in Haymarket. How this business, Wing Sing &Co, not only became a thriving fruit and banana business for nearly a century but how some of these merchants branched into establishing the 'big four' Shanghai and Hong Kong department stores: Sincere, Wing On, The Sun and Sun Sun, is a most fascinating tale.

Cost: $Free

Where: 744 George Street, Haymarket

Organised by: Museum of Chinese in Australia

Link: https://moca.com.au/

Image credits: Eric Russell (1975), Victorian and Edwardian Sydney from Old Photographs (Photograph 129); Wing Sang & Co, corner Hay and Sussex Streets, c. 1909-1913.

The History Council of NSW is supported by a grant from the NSW Government through Create NSW.