Gold Coast’s Callum Ah Chee exploring his Chinese ancestry ahead of clash with Port Adelaide

WHEN baker Owen Ah Chee sailed to Australia to start a new life in 1892 he would never have dreamt two of his descendants would return to play an AFL game back in the country of his birth.

Aaron Young and Callum Ah Chee in the Yu Gardens. (Photo by /Sean Garnsworthy/AFL Media)

WHEN baker Owen Ah Chee sailed to Australia to start a new life in 1892 he would never have dreamt two of his descendants would return to play an AFL game back in the country of his birth.

Gold Coast utility Callum Ah Chee will follow older brother Brendon’s footsteps when he lines up for the Suns against Port Adelaide at Jiangwan Stadium on Saturday.

The mercury soared to 37C on the Suns’ first day in China but thankfully for the players the first training session isn’t until Thursday.

While many opted for the air-conditioned sanctuary of the team hotel, Ah Chee set out to have a look at the historic Yu Gardens in the old city of Shaghai, built in 1559 during the Ming Dynasty.

“It is pretty awesome, it is pretty warm as well,” he said.

“We got in last night and there’s been some free time today to have a look around which is great.’’

He said his interest in exploring his Chinese ancestry was something that had built as he’d grown older and he had sought to learn as much as possible.

Callum Ah Chee (right) with Suns teammate Aaron Young. Pic: AFL Media

Owen Ah Chee first arrived in Darwin in 1892 from Hynam, near the Hong Kong border, but later moved to Derby where he built his home and started his own bakery.

Owen Ah Chee married Nellie, an Aboriginal woman from the Nyikina people and they had 10 children.

The bakery stayed in the Ah Chee family until the 1970s and the Ah Chee Bakery and House is now a heritage-listed site in Derby in the West Kimberly region of Western Australia.

“I’m getting there, my great, great pop he was a Chinese man and he sailed over here from China,’’ he said.

“It is pretty cool to get to learn about that and I want to learn a lot more.

“My dad sent over his citizen certificate, I think he was only 5’4’’ so he was a tiny little man, and he was a baker so it has been great to learn a bit about him.’’

Young and Ah Chee get out and about in China. Pic: AFL Media

Brendon, now at West Coast, was a late inclusion for Port Adelaide last year to become the first of the two brothers to play in China while Callum, who is a regular in the Suns’ best 22 when fit, was out with a back injury.

“He played last year and I didn’t get too,’’ he said.

“I’m lucky enough to be here now and it is awesome we get to take our game to another country.’’

If there is one thing the Suns have become accustomed to over the first two months it is travelling and living out of hotels and Ah Chee said the club had its routines well prepared.

The only difference was acclimatising to the weather.

“We try to keep it as similar as possible, the structure and stuff is the same but we are in a different country so you have to get used to the new surroundings,’’ he said.