Brimbank Council was delighted to attend the official groundbreaking ceremony of the Vietnamese Museum Australia at 119 Durham Road Sunshine on Sunday 16 March 2025.
The museum will be a testament to the resilience and contributions of Vietnamese Australians, and will preserve refugee and veteran stories by offering exhibitions, education and community engagement.
Brimbank Mayor Thuy Dang, Cr Joh Bauch, Cr Kim Thien Truong, and Cr Lucy Nguyen participated in the groundbreaking ceremony along with others. Council warmly welcomes the VMA to Brimbank and is delighted to support its establishment.
“As someone who came to Australia as a refugee, I am thrilled that our stories and history will be collected, preserved, and shared through Victoria’s newest multicultural museum. This new museum will be a nationally significant cultural centre, and an important cultural destination in the City of Brimbank. We are very proud to support its establishment,” Mayor Cr Thuy Dang said.
The Vietnamese Museum Australia is being funded by:
- Australian Government grant funding of $9.7 million to support the construction of the Vietnamese Museum Australia under the Investing in Our Communities Program and other government funding.
- Victorian Government funding of $8.67 million to support the build and fit out of the Vietnamese Museum Australia
- VMA fund raising efforts will contribute to any outstanding building and fit out costs and then the ongoing operation of the museum
Construction of the museum is expected to start in April 2025 and be completed by mid-2026.
The museum will build on the shared vision between Council and the State Government to transform Sunshine into the Central Business District of Melbourne’s West.
Alongside the museum, Council plans to create a plaza that will be a welcoming public space for everyone to enjoy, that honours the Traditional Owners and celebrates all refugee and multicultural communities in Brimbank.
Council will reconfigure the car parking at this site, to offer approximately 24 parking spaces.
Most of the site will remain closed until mid-2026, while the new museum, reconfigured car park, and new plaza are being built. For information about parking changes and other items, visit the project webpage.
