Manly Quarantine Station

Buildings in the Asiatic Area

Aboriginal
Heritage

History
Immigration

Buildings
in 1999

Carvings
on site

Residents
in the past

Natural
Environment

Conservation
Plan

Hospital area

3rd Class area

2nd Class area

1st Class area

Staff buildings

In 1999, with the understandings we now have, we are ashamed that Asiatic people were treated differently from other people. There was a historical reason - one strain of bubonic plague came from China. The authorities knew what a disaster the European plague had been and did not want to risk a new strain of plague coming into Australia.

Unfortunately, hysteria set in. It was easy to recognise Asian features and when epidemics of disease were threatening the young colony, Chinese people were shipped over to the Quarantine Station until it was clear that the risk of disease had passed.

Later, there were merchant ships from Asian ports including China and Japan that came into Sydney carrying disease and these were held at the Quarantine Station until their crews and passengers were given a health clearance.

Asiatic dormitory Photograph by J. Simpson	Asiatic Dormitory - there is a wide verandah around the building. Third Class dormitory is in the background. Photograph by J. Simpson
Showers for Asiatic people Photograph by J. Simpson	Asiatic people cooked their own food in the small grey building with the big chimney and ate in the covered outdoor area shown here. Photograph by J. Simpson

Click to see an area of buildings which are grouped as follows:-

Hospital area

3rd Class area

2nd Class area

1st Class area

Staff buildings

This page was created 9th June, 1999, by Judith Bennett, Friends of Quarantine Station,
and was last modified 20th January, 2007.