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SIGNALS > NUMBER 118 > MADE IN AUSTRALIA
Made in Australia CHINESE JUNKS AND SAMPANS 1870–1910
Boatbuilding in far north Queensland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was dominated by Chinese communities. Their traditional craft were also common in the Northern Territory, and were vital to the economy and development of both regions. Dr Stephen Gapps explores this largely forgotten episode in Australian maritime history.
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01 Locally made junks in Trinity Bay, Cairns,
Queensland, about 1907. In 1891 there was reported to be a fleet of 15 junks operating from Cairns. Image John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland