Perth Voice Interactive

CHINESE, Greeks, Italians, Vietnamese and now Africans: they all come to Northbridge.

Richard Offen from Heritage Perth is running a free multicultural walk through the area to tell the histories of the different ethnic groups who’ve made it what it is today.

A lake was drained in the 1860s creating the then-unnamed area and Chinese market gardeners soon moved in, arriving after the eastern states gold rush dried up.

Greeks and Italians moved in in the early 1900s. Long before it was known as Northbridge it was known as Little Italy.

“It was the breadbasket of the city,” Mr Offen says.

Before long the Anglos went from making fun of the strange, smelly sausages to buying them by the kilo, and now Vietnamese noodles are common in even the most white bread diets.

The story of how the ethnic groups shaped the areas will be told on the free walks on March 18, 23 and 24 for Harmony Week, head to http://www.heritageperth.com.au for info or call them on 9461 3244.

by DAVID BELL