Hou Wang Temple

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The Hou Wang Temple located in Atherton a short walk from Platypus Park on Herberton Road. The temple and the land is stands on was purchased by a group of Chinese families who donated it to the National Trust. The temple's restoration was completed on September 15, 2002 and it now includes an art gallery and interperations centre.

[edit] History

The Hou Wang Temple is located in Atherton a short walk from Platypus Park on Herberton Road. The temple was built in 1903 and is one of the oldest original Chinese temples in Australasia. The land is stands on was purchased by a group of Chinese families who donated it to the National Trust of Queensland. The temple's restoration was completed on September 15, 2002 and it now includes an art gallery and interperation centre.The temple and gallery are open to the public 7 days a week.

It is one of only two or three temples outside China known to be dedicated to Hou Wang and is the only surviving timber and iron temple in Queensland. The Temple contains a substantial number of original artifacts. Most were made in China during the late 19th and early 20th centuries especially for this temple. They include a clapperless bell manufactured in about 1895 and numerous intricately carved timber panels.

It was once the socio-religious focus for over a thousand Chinese residents in the area. They worked as timber cutters, market gardeners and maize growers.

[edit] References

Grimwade, Gordon, 2003, 'Rediscovering Atherton Chinatown', in Locality Community History Magazine, Aust Centre for Public History, Broadway, NSW

Grimwade, Gordon, 1995, 'Of gods timber and maize: cultural heritage management at Cedar Camp Atherton Chinatown, Quuensland' in 'Histories of the Chinese in Australasia and the South Pacific', Museum of Chinese Australian History, Melbourne