Bendigo city has been a major regional center of Chinese-Australian life, culture and business since the 1850s. The city houses one of the finest Chinese community museums in the world - the venue for the conference - and hosts a very active research network dealing with Chinese-Australian community affairs. Bendigo also offers visitors many local historical sites which provide unique insights into Australia's regional past. The local Hung Men (Masonic Association) Temple, archaeological sites, cemeteries, stores, and gardens illustrate the prominent place of Chinese-Australian communities in this regional history.

Bendigo is located around 160km from Melbourne and can be reached by bus, train or hire-car in around two hours from Melbourne city central. Information about travel and accommodation will be issued in due course.

Proposal for papers and panels on all themes in Chinese studies may be submitted now. A formal call for papers will be circulated in July 2004 with an end-of-year deadline. Registration will run from September 2004 to May 2005. We anticipate accepting between 150-200 papers for the conference.