When Chue Toua Thao and his family arrived in Australia in 1988, he carried with him both fear and uncertainty.
His family have found a home at New Beith, but at the time were alone and forced to build their own community.
“We didn’t just find safety; we found a home. And looking back, I wouldn’t choose anywhere else to live,” he said.
Mr Thao is Hmong, an indigenous ethnic group found in south-east Asia, around Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.
After years of suffering persecution and political upheaval, the Hmong resettled in different parts of the world, with the first Hmong migrants coming to Australia in 1975.
For the next year, the stories of Mr Thao and other Hmong locals will be shared at the Living Museum of Logan at the Kingston Butter Factory.
For Mr Thao, his connection to his ancestry is through his hi qeej, a traditional musical instrument that he said the instrument speaks for the Hmong people.
“It tells our stories, honours our ancestors and keeps our culture alive.”
The personal stories, traditional textiles, musical instruments and treasured belongings of Australia’s Hmong community – called Hmong Journeys: Threads of Home – will be on display until September 2026.
The museum is open between 10am and 4pm from Tuesday to Saturday and entry is free.
Local councillor Teresa Lane encouraged the community’s young people to be proud of their culture, to learn from their elders and keep their traditions alive for future generations.
She said the exhibition was both a celebration and a reflection of 50 years of Hmong settlement in Australia.
“These stories give you a real sense of the Hmong community’s history and how they’ve become part of the Logan family.
“This exhibit reflects a truth Logan residents have known for some time – that when ethnic groups share their culture with the wider community, it enriches our lives, fosters social cohesion and allows our community to grow stronger.
“We also love standing tall and teaching the rest of the nation how Logan does multiculturalism the right way.”
