ON APRIL 30, 2025, Vietnamese Australians stood alongside Vietnam Veterans to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, pausing to remember the profound loss.
In 1975, fifty years ago, the day marked the end of a brutal conflict, and also the beginning of an exodus for many, fleeing their cherished homeland for an unknown future.
For many Vietnamese, including those who would later call Australia home, the journey was one of peril and determination.
Nicky Chung, a Bass Coast resident, recalls her family’s dramatic escape from Vietnam in 1979.
“I have always admired the incredible courage of my parents,” she said.
“They risked everything to bring my sister and two brothers to safety.”
Her parents left in the middle of the night, departing by a modest boat. The family were ambushed by pirates, their fragile hope almost lost – until a Thai fishing vessel arrived, rescuing them and taking the family to Songkhla refugee camp in Thailand.
Nicky’s father, a former Vietnamese soldier who had once fought alongside US troops, knew his life was at risk when the war ended.
“There was a target on his back,” she explained.
“The American delegation arrived to collect us at the refugee camp, but my Dad was out at the time; another boat of Vietnamese had come to shore. It was the Australian delegation that eventually picked us up.”
It is estimated that up to one-third of those who attempted to escape never completed the tumultuous journey, dying at sea.
The legacy of that turbulent era continues to reverberate throughout Australia – not only in the harrowing memories of those who fled but also in the enduring spirit of compassion that welcomed them.
Earlier this year, the Australian Vietnamese Women’s Association, where Nicky is the CEO, hosted a commemorative event at the National Vietnam Veterans Museum on Phillip Island to express heartfelt thanks to the Australian soldiers who, through acts of bravery and humanitarianism, helped secure safe passage for countless refugees.
Mayor Cr Rochelle Halstead attended the event:
“This milestone carries deep meaning for so many people – for the Vietnam Veterans who served with courage, and for the Australian Vietnamese community, many of whom came to this country seeking safety and a fresh start. Their stories are woven into the fabric of our nation, and today, we acknowledge their resilience, their contributions, and the shared history that connects us all.”
Last week, on April 30, Nicky attended a service at Sunshine RSL, where Vietnamese refugees sat shoulder-to-shoulder with both Australian and Vietnamese veterans. The service was an emotional mix of sorrow for the separation of a cherished homeland, family and friends, and equally filled with deep gratitude for the kindness that paved the path for new beginnings.
The scars of the Vietnam War are a sombre part of Australian history too.
According to records from the Australian War Memorial, over 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam, and 523 lost their lives in a conflict that reshaped the national consciousness. Many thousands were wounded in service to a cause that remains both debated and deeply remembered.
Across the country, countless Australian families opened their homes and hearts to Vietnamese refugees. Today, Vietnamese Australians are woven into the very fabric of multicultural Australia – thriving in business, contributing to the arts and community, as Nicky does, as a proud Rotarian, giving back to her community here in Bass Coast.
