2019

PREMIER'S
ANZAC
STUDENT
TOUR
JOURNAL
TABLE OF CONTENTS
5 Departure and arrival
6 The tour in perspective
7 Events of the Vietnam War
10 Social and cultural experience
12 One nation, many stories
14 War and peace
16 A trek through time
17 Strategy and survival
18 Witness of history
19 Anzac Day
21 Returning home and reflections
46 BALANCING ACT ON THE HAI VAN PASS

25 KHAI DINH TEMPLE TOUR

20 ONE PILLAR PAGODA MEDITATION 

EVA MUSTAPIC MATILDA MILLER

Year 10 Applecross Senior High School Year 11 Manjimup Senior High School

BREE POTTER EMILY-ROSE LOCHORE

Year 10 Broome Senior High School
TOM McGRATH
Year 11 Christ Church Grammar School
LILY PEDRETTI
Year 10 Iona Presentation College
NATHAN MOORE
Year 10 Kununurra Senior High School
Year 10 Perth Modern School, formerly
of Margaret River Senior High School
ELIAS SHOOSMITH
Year 12 Mindarie Senior College
EDEN GOSTELOW
Year 12 Mount Lawley Senior High School
ERIN-LOUISE PEOPLES
Year 10 Rossmoyne Senior High School

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |    3

Introduction
In 2019, the Premier’s Anzac Student
Tour travelled to Vietnam to
commemorate the 50th anniversary of
the Battle of Binh Ba, otherwise known
as Operation Hammer. Over 16
consecutive years, 210 students from
across the three education sectors have
been selected to represent Western
Australia as tour ambassadors. On their
return, these students share their
experiences both within their local
communities and more widely online.
Selection for the 2019 Tour was based
on student participants producing an
extended written response, and
undertaking panel interviews. Many
chose to write about family members
including grandfathers (Vincent Pedretti
and Charles Gostelow), a great
grandfather (Claude Roediger
investigation by Nathan Moore) and
great uncle (Roderick Sprigg
investigation by Elias Shoosmith).
The 2019 Premier’s Anzac Student Tour
travelled to Ho Chi Minh City on
Tuesday, 16 April 2019 and returned
from Hanoi on Friday, 26 April 2019.
Locations of particular historical interest
included former 1st Australian Task
Force Base Nui Dat, as well as the Binh
Ba and Long Tan battle sites, Vung Tau
and Hue.
Ms Alycia Bermingham, Head of
Humanities Department, Manjimup
Senior High School, and Mr Brian Owen,
Teacher, Governor Stirling Senior High
School were selected as teacher
supervisors.
Former conscript Mr Brian Cleaver who
served in Vietnam has been advising the
2019 tour group, and joined the tour in
Ho Chi Minh City to share insights and
guidance at former battle sites.

Notable figures such as Padre White,

Hugo Throssell and Geoff Edwards also
featured as chosen subjects, along with
Bridgetown resident and Vietnam
veteran John Nelson.

INTRODUCTION 2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   4

Departure and arrival
Before I knew it, I was standing inside Perth International
Airport embracing the last of the cold weather for the next 11 days.
The humid weather took me by surprise almost instantly as I stepped
outside into the loud, vibrant atmosphere of Ho Chi Minh City; the
emotional and cognitive effort had only just begun. The
Reunification Palace and the War Remnants Museum were full of
rich history and unbelievable stories. The Notre Dame Cathedral and
the Old Post Office were also shocking and interesting; their
architecture intricate and extravagant. The pictures I had seen of
these buildings did no justice to the beauty and precise details of this
ancient infrastructure.

Our visit to the War Remnants Museum was a long overdue wake up
call for me, and walking through the photography exhibition changed
my view of the world. For the first time in my life, I was witnessing the
uncensored effects of war. For a few minutes, I could only stand there,
not understanding how people managed to live through such trauma
and pain. Seeing the effects of conflict, particularly the use of Agent
Orange, really drove home the seriousness of what the tour was about.

Our first stop was the War Remnants Museum. It was a confronting
experience. The museum used photographs to highlight the impacts of
the Vietnam War on a personal scale, and showed the atrocities the
Americans committed. Although it was certainly a one-sided take on

08
the war, my eyes were opened to a new perspective as I saw events
that we don’t usually talk about. After the War Remnants Museum, we
were guided around the Reunification Palace, an impressive building
that served as a meeting and dwelling place for the southern President
when Vietnam was split, and is now preserved as a museum.

Although many of the images at the War Remnants Museum were

hard to look at, due to their brutality, they were also incredibly hard to
look away from, as they hold such importance to the truths of war.
Then, touring luxurious rooms at the Reunification Palace, it was
strange to think that a small proportion of people were living in such
luxury, at a time where the majority of the population were living on
very little, just outside the palace walls. We ended the day with a
shared dinner together at the KOTO (Know One Teach One) training
restaurant, where I was given the opportunity to share what I had
learnt from my Strife and Struggle task on Napalm Girl.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   5

 The tour in perspective
Despite having to crawl on my hands and knees, the Cu Chi
Tunnels are really inspiring, and I'm amazed how the Viet Cong
spent days, weeks, months, even years below ground. My efforts
underground meant I became breathless, dirty and sweaty, and felt
close to passing out.

46 HOW TO FIND THE PERFECT SUNNIES

FOR YOUR FACE SHAPE

25 JENNICA LEE, THE

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
20 TRENDING: FASHION STYLE TRENDS
FOR FEMALE MILLENIALS

Cu Chi Tunnels

After the tunnels, we made our way to the Cao Dai Temple which was
so different to what I had expected. We even got to witness the
temple's followers taking part in a service; I found the music inspiring.
All of the temple's residents half singing, half chanting to the sound of
traditional crane instruments was breathtaking. Today's experiences
have been both amazingly fascinating and beautifully inspiring.

Cao Dai Temple

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   6
Events of the Vietnam War
The Long Phuoc tunnels gave us an opportunity to learn about
Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. We built on our
knowledge of the purpose of the tunnels from yesterday’s trip to Cu
Chi as well as learning about the Australian engineers’ role in
collapsing them. The Viet Cong were confident fighting against the
Americans on their own home turf, however the Australians posed a
much larger threat as they were more capable fighting in a guerrilla
environment. We also travelled to Nui Dat, an Australian army base
built by 1st Australian Task Force where we had a chance to see
how the Australians operated in Vietnam and stand where they
stood 50 years ago. The experience was summed up with a private
service at the Long Tan Cross where we paid our respects to those
who fought.

Nui Dat - small hill in Vietnamese

It was incredible to imagine that 50 years ago at the exact location

where we were standing, bombs were dropping, guns were firing and
war was raging. I have found myself reflecting for the entire time we
have been in Vietnam that history occurred beneath our very feet.
The Long Tan battlefield location has been turned into a growing
rubber plantation, and the only way you’d know the site was of any
significance was due to the small memorial.

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 Events of the Vietnam War
Learning about the Vietnam War today has
been astounding. From the Long Phuoc
Tunnels to Nui Dat, and the Long Tan
Memorial Cross, I have been lucky enough
be given the chance to understand more
about key historic events. Highlights
included standing on the road that was
once the runway for the Nui Dat Air Base
and holding a commemorative service at
the Long Tan Memorial Cross.
The Vung Tau orphanage was a place I will
never forget. Although I had expected our
visit to be confronting, I was happily
surprised to find so much laughter and joy
among the kids and staff. While the others
enjoyed a game of soccer with the older
children, I spent my time sitting playing
with the very little ones. I instantly fell in
love with a girl wearing a yellow dress and I
knew I would be sad to say goodbye, but
after seeing how much joy there was to
experience, I now feel contented and hope
one day to return.
Visiting Vung Tau orphanage
Our visit to the orphanage was immensely
enjoyable. I approached it with considerable
trepidation, but what we found was the
opposite of my expectations. Not only were the
kids so happy and full of life, I discovered the
facilities were colourful and spacious. The
younger children loved playing with the
donations we had brought along for them, and
were running around in excitement. I sat down
to talk to a group of teenage girls: Three were
13 and two were 15, and we all introduced
ourselves by spelling out our names and giving
our ages; we sat with our guide to help
translate, and had a short conversation with
lots of laughter. Despite largely not being able
to understand each other, there was a lot of
wild gesturing and smiles, and we made
friends quickly.
We all joined in a communal soccer game with
girls versus boys. It was incredible to see that
despite not understanding a word of what we
were saying, we could play as a team and
have fun, and all scream and shout every time
a goal was kicked.
The infectious joy and excitement all the kids
exuded was so inspiring to witness, and it
made me feel warm to think I was part of it.
There was such a sense of community
between us, and I will definitely be keeping in
touch. The time we spent together was the
happiest and most memorable of the tour so
far.
2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   8
Events of the Vietnam War
Unrecognisable would be an understatement: Without the photo
provided by our tour guide, we would not have believed that the road
we stopped on today was actually the Luscombe Airfield site.
What was previously a vital location for soldiers and aircraft during the
Vietnam War now consisted of a dusty, hot landscape. Despite the lack
of physical evidence, the information provided by veteran Brian Cleaver
and our tour guide generated vivid images in our minds about the
experiences of the Australian service personnel.

Afterwards, we
conducted a private
service at the Long Tan
Memorial Cross, and I
felt truly honoured to
read the Ode on our
behalf. Visiting the Long
Phuoc province, the Nui
Dat Hills and the Long
Tan Cross were key
elements in our process
of commemorating
Australia’s military history
in Vietnam.

Luscombe Airfield
I felt that experiencing
these locations further
enriched our perspective
of the Vietnam War.

Long Tan Memorial Cross

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   9
Social and cultural experience
We visited the village of Binh Ba today - the site of a major battle
between the Australians and the North Vietnamese during the
Vietnam War otherwise known as Operation Hammer.
Coming out of the village, I found myself with three different
accounts and perspectives of the battle of Binh Ba. I had my
research, veteran Brian Cleaver's verbal information, and our tour
guide's North Vietnamese perspective. I was required to analyse the
three sources and reflect on them individually and together before
attempting to piece together what actually happened in Binh Ba.
The thing I have learnt from today is how there are always different
perspectives to an event, especially during a war. These
perspectives can be influenced by politics and individual context. It
is really interesting to see how these perspectives can differ so
much to what I have learnt in Australia.

War Memorial at Binh Ba Village

The day began with a bus trip to the Binh Ba memorial.

I struggled to imagine what the area would have been like during the war.
After the memorial, our group headed to the Long Hai Hills where we
walked up to the caves nestled beneath the jungle-like vegetation. The
hills were a contrast to the urban Vietnamese energy and scenery.
Instead of busy roads, large buildings and bustling storefronts, the air
smelt fresh, the path was made of rock, and the sound of local wildlife
filled the air. Along the way to the caves, I was shocked to see evidence
of damage from bullets fired during the Vietnam War.
Once again, I could see that the war has had a lingering impact on
Vietnam.

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Social and cultural experience
As the 2019 tour commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Battle of
Binh Ba, visiting was very important. I really enjoyed walking down one
of the small suburban streets and looking at the houses. They had all
been rebuilt after the battle, and it was inspiring to see how the area
had recovered. We paid our respects at a war memorial to the
Vietnamese soldiers lost in the battle. It was interesting to talk to
Nathan, who had studied the Battle of Binh Ba as his Strife and
Struggle task, and hear what he thought of the reconstruction of the
town.

Our visit to Long Hai Hills was of particular interest and enjoyment to
me. I enjoyed the trek up the mountain on the rough stone path, and
clambering through caves, roots hanging down and light sifting down in
shafts over us. Besides the scenic value of the location, the history of
the place was fascinating. Mr Brian Cleaver, the Vietnam veteran
travelling with us, told us about the Australian soldiers lost in the area,
and the efforts of veterans years later to recover all missing bodies.
The caves we went climbing through were used by the Viet Cong to
hide from enemy soldiers. Large numbers of people inhabited the
caves by day, before coming out at night to cook, develop defences,
and other necessary tasks. I really enjoyed hearing of the history and
events that took place, and will certainly remember the experience.

Reflecting after our walk through the Long Hai Hills

Of course, the Viet Cong were not the only people who died in these
hills. Eleven Australians died and 59 were injured when a soldier in a
patrol stepped on a land mine, and then one of the people who came
to treat and remove the injured (and dead) stepped on a mine as well.
Brian Cleaver showed us the memorial tree near where the men died,
on the very track they were walking on. The tree was surrounded by
litter, so we picked it up and brought it back to the bins. I suppose it
was our way of paying respects to the soldiers who died in this
tragedy. It’s horrible that so many people died from a few mis-placed
footsteps.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   11

One nation, many stories
Brian Cleaver touched on a very sensitive topic today
while explaining his personal experience dealing with post
traumatic stress (PTSD) after National Service. I thought this
was extremely brave of him, as often PTSD is not openly
discussed, despite the number of servicemen dealing with
the issue. Brian mentioned that every soldier has a different
way of coping with their PTSD, and in his case, his
psychologist recommended writing a narrative about his time
in the war. This lead me to think how hard it would be for
some soldiers to revisit their memories, considering the
brutality of the fighting and the lives that were lost. I was
grateful to have had the opportunity to talk with Brian
personally and learn about his perspective of the war, and
how it compared with the beliefs of our tour guides. As duty
student, I had the honour of thanking Brian Cleaver for
joining us on the tour and guiding us.

As we made our way from

Ho Chi Minh City to Hoi
An, I noticed the
differences and
similarities between these
contexts. Driving back
through Ho Chi Minh City,
having learnt information
from our guides, teachers
and Brian Cleaver, made
me appreciate the
different ways of living,
people and buildings we
were driving past.

Once we arrived in Hoi

An, I found the streets
more spacious than the
tightly-packed buildings in
Ho Chi Minh City, and I
found there were more
tourists and resorts,
suggesting tourism is a
significant part of Hoi An’s
Brian Cleaver, Army Recruit culture.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   12

One nation, many stories
In comparison to the workshop where people affected by Agent
Orange made beautiful artworks through painting or inlaying
mother of pearl and eggshells on lacquered, varnished wood, the
Ancient Town of Hoi An was exciting and vibrant. The lanterns
and coloured lights added to the atmosphere; people, sounds,
and colours were incredible. Today's activities have been so
different yet so important as we were able to see diverse sides of
the country, both made for the tourist and that which is a reality
for the locals.

Craft workers

Unfortunately, on this leg of the trip we had to say goodbye to our

accompanying veteran, Brian Cleaver. He taught us lots of useful
information which has greatly impacted my perspective and
thoughts on the war, and which wouldn’t have been apparent
without him. Brian was an extremely useful primary source, from
whom we were able to gain eye-witness experiences of someone
who was actually fighting, which is priceless information. It has
been an absolute honour to have Brian accompany us on this tour.

Upon arriving in Hoi An, we were immediately exposed to a brand

new environment that contrasted with both Saigon and Vung Tau.
It has been interesting to experience the variety of people, sights
and smells in each of the three cities we have visited so far. With
each new place it becomes more and more apparent to me how
different this country is to Australia, and how it has been
influenced by its political and ideological position, and by events
which took place during the Vietnam war.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   13

 War and peace
The morning of day six focused on the My Son Temples. The
walk to the temples was beautiful, the scenery green and
luxurious. The many tourists looked out of place next to the
ancient temples, all listening to the stories their tour guides
shared. As I approached the once pristine buildings, I was filled
with overwhelming feelings of peace. However, the closer I got
the more uneasy I became as I knew the destruction they had
faced. I found it hard to picture the extent of damage the
American bombings had on this culturally significant site. The
more I explored the temples the more I understood why so many
people wanted to see the area. The ancient Cham architecture
was impossible to understand; with the resources available at the
time of construction, I couldn’t comprehend how they were built
with such stability and precision.

My Son Temples
Our visit to Sunworld on top of Ba Na Mountain was a memorable
sensory explosion. The Golden Bridge was beautiful, with two massive
concrete hands reaching up from the mountainside to hold the bridge
aloft. The long cable car trips were my favourite part. We had a
spectacular view as far as the eye could see of the mountains and
surrounding city. Most interesting of all was our view of the dense,
tough jungle we were passing over. It became much easier to imagine
what the soldiers had to cut through to move across that landscape.
Combined with the temperature and their heavy packs and uniforms,
the conditions they endured must have been horrific.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   14

War and peace
The view from Golden Bridge was absolutely stunning. Row after
row of mountains faded into the mist, and the hills were carpeted in
dense jungle, interspersed with streams and waterfalls. The
Golden Bridge itself was quite impressive; the walkway gave a
closer view of the jungle, which was wonderful to enjoy. There
were butterflies flitting from tree to tree, and I saw a bird of prey
rise slowly, almost lazily, with the columns of hot air. The
temperature was cooler up in the mountains, and I could feel the
breeze sweeping around the bridge.

Golden Bridge, Da Nang

Coming from suburbia, the jungles of Ba Na mountains were beyond

stunning. The cable car rides allowed us to inhabit the scenery, and that
took my breath away. I was somewhat confused by the amusement park
at the top of the mountains; elements seemed out of place and confused
in a place of such vast natural beauty. The juxtaposition between the
jungle's rugged natural scenery and the confusion at the amusement
park shows the two sides of Vietnam. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to
experience both of these sides.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   15

 A trek through time
An early morning walk up Marble Mountain was the perfect way
to start the day. Although we struggled up the stairs, the
rewarding experience at the end was worth the climb. It was
interesting to see how much work went into the large Buddhist
statues and this signified to me that religion is very important in
Vietnamese culture. I found it fascinating thinking about how the
Viet Cong used the caves on Marble Mountain during the
Vietnam War, as the American airbase was located nearby, yet
the Viet Cong went undiscovered due to their strategic
effectiveness.

We were able to consider the Vietnamese dynasties, and how

Marble Mountain
important they were, by visiting the tomb of Tu Doc. The tomb was built
before the king's death, and he spent lots of leisure time there, so it
seemed a large extravagant castle to prepare for the after-life.
Nobody actually knows in which tomb the king is actually buried in
order to deter thieves, and no further excavation has taken place in
fears of damaging any remains. In Hue we visited the Imperial City
which was constructed by the royals in the 1800s. The architecture
here was quite similar to that at the tomb, with incredible details and
gold engravings. This fortress however has faced multiple attacks over
the past century, causing immense damage.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   16

Strategy and survival

We journeyed from Hue up to Hanoi; the

political capital of Vietnam, and our final
destination in the country. As we have
transitioned from South to North Vietnam,
we have noticed a number of changes in Detail from Hoa Lo Prison poster

the way that the war is spoken about. It

has been so interesting to see how the
sides of the war have been portrayed
differently as we have moved from down
in South Vietnam to up in the North.
When we were in South Vietnam, the
soldiers of the North were portrayed as
"the enemy" - wild inhuman beings -
while the soldiers from the South were
portrayed as gallant heroes. As soon as
we arrived in North Vietnam, the
descriptions almost reversed; the North
Vietnamese soldiers are now portrayed
as the victors.
Temple of Literature
I soon realised at the Temple of Literature in
Hanoi that education was a key part of
Vietnamese life. The breathtaking
architecture was similar to the other ancient
buildings we have seen in Vietnam. Not
only did the area represent the importance
of education, it was also a symbol of the
relationship between the king and his
people and what hard work could achieve.
Inside the grounds of the temple, I noticed
the use of the four symbolic Vietnamese
animals: Multiple turtles were used to
represent longevity, something many
Vietnamese strive to achieve. Although the
1972 Christmas bombings by US President
Richard Nixon destroyed much of the
temple, the building still stands as a symbol
of the literature and importance of hard
work in Vietnam which continues to sustain.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   17

Witness of history
We left Hanoi for Trang An landscape complex, two hours
away. The mountains in Trang An were nothing like most of the
mountains I'd seen on the tour. Made of limestone, they rose
sharply out of the surrounding landscape, gradually increasing
in number until they formed a knobbly-looking mountain range.
We took boats down a river that cut deep channels through the
cliffs and tunnelled caves beneath the rock. However, despite
the stunning scenery, there were still many reminders that this
was a commercial venture. One site we stopped at whilst on the
boats was an impressive temple. However, this temple was a
reproduction made to attract tourists.
Trang An Complex

We visited a tea house which was really an experience like no

other. I learned how much cultures differ, even with something
as ordinary as tea. The Vietnamese take their tea very
seriously with a whole transfusion process to ensure every
flavour note is distinct. It almost made me feel quite inferior,
as in western culture we often just pop in a teabag and call it
that, but in Vietnam it’s a very spiritual and traditional process
which dates back hundreds of years and is very important to
the culture. We learned the importance of tea in Vietnamese
culture as it used to bring people together in social occasions;
in this experience our Australian culture connected with the
Tea Master, as we sipped tea picked from ancient trees in the
mountains.

2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   18

Anzac Day The Dawn Service at the Australian Embassy was excellent. I
felt honoured to be standing among officials, soldiers and
politicians, sharing the commemoration with them. When the
first notes of the Last Post sounded, a chill went down my
spine. After touring Vietnam for nine days, I have truly realised
how lucky I am to live in Australia, an economically stable
country, far away from war and conflict. I’ve glimpsed the true
effects of war – on a country, on a community, and on
individuals. Reflecting on all of this makes each life lost that
much more tangible to me.

With Minister Peter Tinley at the Australian Embassy in Hanoi

The sky was still dark when we arrived at the Australian

Embassy for the Dawn Service. I was one of many Australians
and New Zealanders who had gathered to commemorate
Anzac Day. The Anzac Day service reminded me that the
Vietnam War and our tour were part of the bigger picture of
war and world history.

Breakfast after the service was an opportunity to talk to many

different people: From a Kiwi couple in the queue to an
Australian girl who had recently moved to Hanoi; also a
General in the Australian Army, and a veteran who served in
the Middle East. Each person I talked to offered a different
insight, and I left the service grateful for all these interactions.

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 Anzac Day
Today, while looking around the War History Museum at all the
remnants of weapons and machines of destruction, I was
forced to think again about the utter destruction that war
causes. As I stood beside the massive planes and tanks I could
only begin to imagine how scary it would have been to live
during the war and experience it first hand. I know that since I
have never been in a war, I cannot truly understand its horrors,
but I have been glad that while in Vietnam I have been exposed
to a number of resounding images and exhibits that capture the
devastation.

Outside Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum

Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum showcased the state of totalitarianism

within the Vietnamese communist regime. After waiting for some
time and witnessing many line cutters, we arrived at the huge
marble crypt. Inside armed guards stood to attention at every
corner, and countless security cameras watched our every move.
The dark, cold and grey atmosphere reminded me of something
out of the novel 1984, as we were informed no speaking, no
photos and keep moving. It was quite surreal to be looking at a
body that had been dead for 50 years; a person who has become
an icon for a nation.

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Returning home and reflections
I think my biggest take away from the
tour is how messy history really is.
Everything is contestable, and the
facts presented to us in history books
and textbooks may not always be
correct, or show the whole story. The
Premier’s Anzac Student Tour gave
me the opportunity to view a war from
both sides, and it has changed my
perspective on the world and its
history. Being able to see this
perspective has really opened my
eyes.
I feel so honoured and privileged that
I have been able to spend my school
holiday commemorating the
servicemen and women who fought,
not just in Vietnam, but every battle
Australians have been involved in.
The Vietnam War is still very much a
fresh war, and so to be
commemorating the 50th Anniversary
of Binh Ba, as well as visiting Long
Tan, and the Viet Cong Headquarters
at Minh Dam base has been a
privilege.
The 2019 Premier’s Anzac Student
Tour has been the most
eye-opening and exciting of my life so
far. Travelling from Ho Chi Minh city,
to Vung Tau, Da Nang and Hue, and
finally to Hanoi has given me priceless
opportunities to learn about Australian
war history as well as Vietnamese
culture and history. The tour is an
incredibly valuable experience and I
would recommend it to any student
looking to engage with Australian
history.
While on tour, I felt extremely honoured
to be representing Western Australia. I
am incredibly grateful to have been
given the opportunity to honour the
legacy of my grandfather, Vincent
Pedretti, who fought during the Second
World War. Through this experience, I
have not only learnt about the Vietnam
War, but have also been encouraged to
discover more information about my
own family’s war history, which I think is
really important.
2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   21
Returning home and reflections
The tour exposed us to many
contrasting and independent
perspectives of war and we were
constantly confronted with stories,
images and locations which depicted
the harsh realities of Australian
service personnel. Fortunately, we
were informed about these
experiences first-hand by Mr Brian
Cleaver, a Vietnam War veteran.
The memories I have made over this
tour will stay with me forever. The
people I have met and the places I have
seen will continue to shape the way I
view both history and the world around
me. The 2019 Premier's Anzac Student
Tour has been the most memorable
experience of my life so far, and I will be
eternally grateful for the opportunities I
have been given.
2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   22
Returning home and reflections
The 2019 Premier’s Anzac Student
Tour has been an experience like
no other. Along the way I have
learnt so much about the effects of
war and what it means to
Australians. The trip has allowed
me to develop a greater
understanding of the Anzac legacy
and its importance.
The tour has provided me with the
opportunity to visit many significant
places and explore their meanings.
Without the support of the Premier
and other important supporters, this
trip would not be possible.
My experience on the Premier’s Anzac
Student Tour has been absolutely
incredible, and has left a lasting impact
on my perception of the war. We
travelled throughout the country, from
south to north, starting at Ho Chi Minh
City and finally ending up Hanoi, while
stopping at numerous locations in
between. The different points of view
that I have encountered along the way
have given me opportunities to
appreciate how different cultures
interpret events and information, in
order to portray a certain picture to
their citizens.
2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   23
Returning home and reflections
I would like to offer a massive thanks to
everyone involved in making the 2019
Premier’s Anzac Student Tour possible.
Firstly, the Premier Honourable Mark
McGowan, and the State Government for
enabling us to travel to Vietnam and
supporting the competition. The tour has
been a great opportunity for me to learn
about the history of Australia while
experiencing a new culture. This would
not have been possible without the
endorsement of the Premier.
I really appreciate all the effort put in by
tour coordinator Ms Samantha Boswell
and teacher supervisors Mr Brian Owen
and Ms Alycia Birmingham. Thank you all
for coming with us on the tour and making
it safe, educational and fun.
Thank you also to Mrs Thomson, my
HASS teacher, for telling me about the
competition, encouraging me to join and
supporting my original entry essay.
Lastly, thank you to the other nine
students who travelled to Vietnam for all
being an amazing bunch of people who I
shared my interests and life with for 10
days. We have grown together as a group
and made incredible friendships that I
know will last forever.
The 2019 Premier’s Anzac Student
Tour was an experience I’ll never
forget. Through visiting historical
sites and listening to the staff, tour
guides and my fellow students, I
learnt so much about the Vietnam
War and gained a greater
understanding of what those who
fought in it went through. The tour
also opened my eyes to Vietnam’s
own culture and history, and it was
amazing to see how such a different
country worked.
I offer my thanks to the Premier Mark
McGowan and the Government of
Western Australia for supporting the
Premier’s Anzac Student Tour
throughout the 16 years it has been
running.
Thank you to our tour coordinator
Ms Samantha Boswell, who put in a
massive effort to get this tour
underway, and our wonderful teacher
supervisors Mr Brian Owen and
Ms Alycia Bermingham. You gave up
your holidays to come to a foreign
country with a group of teenagers,
and you managed to make the tour
great.
2019 Premier's Anzac Student Tour    |   24
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