Little Vietnam
In February 2021, Inner West Council voted to recognise the significant contributions of the Vietnamese community to the Inner West’s cultural and economic life by renaming a precinct in the Marrickville-Midjuburi Ward.
Marrickville is one of three large residential areas of Vietnamese communities in Sydney.
Over 80,000 Vietnamese people moved to Australia following the Vietnam War, many as refugees. The renaming of Little Vietnam honours the stories of the many brave migrants who resettled here in the 1980s, enriching Australian society and helping to establish the Inner West as a vibrant multicultural hub.
Between April and May 2021, the community was invited to provide feedback on identifying and naming a Vietnamese precinct along Illawarra Road. The area selected sits between Marrickville Road and Warren Road, Marrickville, housing many thriving businesses, including Vietnamese eateries and grocers.
The majority of responses to the consultation supported the name, ‘Little Vietnam’, as it was considered neutral and inclusive of the experiences of all Vietnamese people, regardless of if they are from the Northern, Central or Southern regions of Vietnam.
The most popular alternative suggestion was ‘Little Saigon’ because it represents the historic struggles of refugees. However, other participants felt this wouldn’t be appropriate because there is already ‘Saigon Plaza’ in the Canterbury Bankstown area and focussing on one city may potentially create an unhealthy public political divide within the Vietnamese community.
The Consul General of Vietnam in Sydney expressed their support for the project and for the proposed name.
In July 2021, Council passed a resolution to adopt the name and submitted it to the New South Wales Geographical Names Board. In April of 2022, the name ‘Little Vietnam’ was approved. The Little Vietnam precinct was formerly launched with a community celebration at Marrickville Pavilion in December 2022.
An artwork celebrating Vietnam's national flower featured on the launch invitation, and has been been rolled out on bin decals across the precinct. The work 'Dancing Goldies' by local artist, Christina Huynh depicts the two goldfish journeying between water and floating lotus flowers, paying homage to the Vietnamese migration story.
The renaming of the Little Vietnam precinct is part of Council’s ongoing efforts to recognise the important contributions of migrant communities to the Inner West, and Australian society more broadly. It is the first such precinct to recognise a non-European community in the Inner West.
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