Image: Photo: Will Jones / City of Sydney
Sydney’s Chinatown has reclaimed a piece of its cultural heritage, with the ceremonial gates on Dixon Street now gleaming anew following a meticulous restoration.
Unveiled on Saturday, June 14, the revitalised archways stand as enduring symbols of the city’s Chinese-Australian community.
Originally completed in 1980, these gates were the brainchild of the Dixon Street Chinese Committee, established in 1971, and were designed by architect Henry Tsang OAM.
They incorporate traditional Chinese design elements, including pagoda-style roofs with exposed timber rafters, glazed ceramic tiles, symbolic figurines, engraved gold leaf signage panels, and lion statues guarding each gate.
The restoration project, part of the City of Sydney’s $44 million revitalisation of the Haymarket precinct, involved replacing concrete lion statues with granite figures, restoring etched marble panels, repainting timber structures, and adding eight phoenix icons while replacing eight original dragon panels. Lights will also be installed to illuminate the gates at night.
“When we talked to the community about what was needed, restoration of these historic gates was central to all thinking. We have now made good on our commitment to do just that,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore.
Architect Henry Tsang reflected on the significance of the gates, stating, “Dixon Street has always been the centre for the Chinese community, where the soul and the spirit is, and the archways anchor the location.”
“The archways have been expertly restored with authentic materials by the best craftspeople in China and Australia,” said Tsang. “Heritage listing the archways allows the Chinese community to proudly share its heritage with our other members of multicultural Australia.”
The gates’ restoration is not just about preserving physical structures but also about honouring the cultural and historical significance they hold for Sydney’s Chinese community. The Lord Mayor emphasised this, noting, “The gates were also listed as a local heritage item to ensure they are protected into the future. One of the gates’ inscriptions translates to ‘continue the past into the future’. That is exactly what we have done and will always do, to ensure Chinatown, with Dixon Street at its heart, remains the centre of everyday life and cultural celebrations for Chinese communities.”
This restoration marks the beginning of broader efforts to rejuvenate Chinatown, with plans to upgrade local streets, public spaces, buildings, and shopfronts, all while preserving the area’s rich cultural heritage.
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