The insufficiently recognised contribution of minority migrant communities to the material and social development of Australian cities and towns is being addressed by groundbreaking new research led by the University of Technology, Sydney.

Researchers from the School of Finance and Economics in the UTS Faculty of Business and Charles Sturt University have begun a census of urban, regional and rural communities across several states that will reveal the extent of investment by ethnic communities and migrants from minority backgrounds to the built environment in the areas they have settled.

The work is building on a pioneering UTS study three years ago that found since 1950 migrants from non-English speaking countries had increased the value of Sydney's community facilities by an estimated billion-and-a-half dollars.

Now UTS PhD student Kirrily Jordan and lead researchers Professor Jock Collins of UTS and Dr Branka Krivokapic-Skoko of CSU have put out a call to ethnic minority communities in NSW, Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia for records, photographs and personal stories that will inform the larger study.

"This study will highlight the important social, cultural and economic contributions that non-Anglo-Celtic Australians have made to Australian society through the built environment," Ms Jordan said.

"It aims to properly recognise the contributions of Australia's ethnic minority communities, assist in preserving their heritage, and be an important resource to inform government policy at all levels.

"We are seeking information on the history and social use of places that are significant to ethnic minority communities in Australia. These places may include buildings and landmarks with a variety of uses, such as religion, recreation, education, retail, aged or child care and community support."

Ms Jordan said that while information on all sites was being sought, areas of particular focus for field work included, in NSW, Sydney's Chinatown, Auburn, Wollongong and Griffith, and in WA, Northbridge, Fremantle, Katanning and Kalgoorlie.

"Western Australia is of particular interest as it is the State with the highest proportion of migrants – about 40 per cent of the population compared to 33 per cent in NSW," Ms Jordan said.

"The heritage of ethnic minority communities is of social and economic significance in these towns and cities, but to date this has been largely overlooked, particularly in regional and rural areas.

"We want to explore the role of these places in building better multicultural communities, and the ways that recognition of their importance could fuel economic development through tourism and community revitalisation."

The research is being funded by the Australian Research Council, the National Trusts of Western Australia, NSW and South Australia and the Queensland Department of Premiers and Cabinet.