In the 1880s her maternal great-grandfather left the southern Chinese county of Taishan (or Toishan) for the tin mines of northern Tasmania where, like so many around him, he became an opium addict.
He worked tirelessly in the tin fields and elsewhere, establishing himself as a fruit merchant, head of Hobart's Henry & Co. Helene's paternal grandfather came from neighbouring Xinhui (or Sunwei) County, began as a market gardener in Hobart and also became a fruit merchant, in partnership with Ah Ham & Co. and with his own firm, Chung Sing & Co. Helene attended St Mary's College, Hobart, and graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in History in 1968, and later with a Master of Arts in History in 1971.
As a freelancer for three years overseas, in Singapore, Hong Kong, London and Cairo, in 1971 she made headlines with the first radio interview granted by The Princess Anne.
Back with ABC, she joined This Day Tonight in 1974, so becoming the first reporter of Asian descent – and probably the first non-Anglo face – on Australian television.
She also freelanced for BBC, British Forces Broadcasting Service, CBS, Hong Kong radio, NPR and NZBC.