Nui Dat

In 1966, when the area was part of the then Phước Tuy Province it was the location of the 1 ATF military base in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The site was chosen by Lieutenant General John Wilton in 1966 and was built mainly by men from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs) (2020), Phuoc Tuy Province, DVA Anzac Portal, accessed 20 December 2022, https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/vietnam-war-1962-1975/events/phuoc-tuy-province The occupation of Nui Dat in Operation Hardihood required the removal of all inhabitants from within a {{convert|4000|m|miles|adj=on}} radius of the base in order to ensure the security of the facility. Ultimately this policy—which was an unusual step among allied bases in Vietnam—required the resettlement of the villages of Long Hải, with a population of 1000, and Long Phuoc, with a population of 3000. Both villages were subsequently destroyed and the villagers rehomed in brand new and improved villages built by Australian engineers; a task which was complete by July 1966.

From 1966 until 1972 the Australians and New Zealanders of the 1st Australian Task Force operated out of Nui Dat providing security and protection for the villages of Phước Tuy, while attempting to destroy the Communist forces headquartered in the Mây Tào Mountains and other Communist strongholds in the border areas of Phước Tuy Province, Long Khánh Province and Biên Hòa Province. The Australians and New Zealanders performed civic tasks such as building villages, improving infrastructure, and providing medical and other civil services for the locals.{{sfn|McNeill|1993|p=222}}{{sfn|McNeill|1993|pp=240–241}}

After the withdrawal of Australian forces in December 1972, the base was handed over to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and "stripped bare".{{sfn|Guest|McNeill|1992|p=174}}{{sfn|Kelley|2002|p=368}}

A controversy has arisen over the so-called "Bamboo Pickers Incident".{{Cite web |title=2014: Masters student's interview tapes accepted into National Collection - University of Wollongong – UOW |url=https://www.uow.edu.au/media/2014/masters-students-interview-tapes-accepted-into-national-collection.php |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=www.uow.edu.au |language=en}} According to Australian Vietnam veteran Ben Morris, Australian soldiers killed five civilians, including two teenage girls, in October 1967 who they mistakenly thought were Viet Cong. Many of the soldiers involved in the incident have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.{{Cite news |date=2014-10-13 |title=Vietnam veteran from Wollongong reignites controversy over Nui Dat slaughter |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-13/nui-dat-slaughter/5809264 |access-date=2022-03-02}}{{Cite web |date=2014-10-12 |title=Veterans forced to suffer in silence |url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/nsw/veterans-forced-to-suffer-in-silence-ng-4d81c595960e8f5310989e4c3fe63081 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=PerthNow |language=en}}

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• {{Cite book |last=Grant |first=Ian |title=A Dictionary of Australian Military History |publisher=Random House |year=1992 |isbn=9780091825928 |location=Milsons Point, New South Wales}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Guest |first1=Robert |title=The Team in Pictures: A Pictorial History of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, 1962–1972 |last2=McNeill |first2=Ian |publisher=National Executive, Australian Army Training Team Vietnam Association |year=1992 |isbn=9780646104447 |location=Canberra, Australian Capital Territory}}
• {{Cite book |last=Ham |first=Paul |title=Vietnam: The Australian War |publisher=Harper Collins |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-7322-8237-0 |location=Sydney}}
• {{Cite book |last=Kelley |first=Michael |title=Where We Were in Vietnam: A Comprehensive Guide to the Firebases, Military Installations, and Naval Vessels of the Vietnam War |publisher=Hellgate Press |year=2002 |isbn=978-1555716257 |location=Central Point}}
• {{Cite book |last=McNeill |first=Ian |title=To Long Tan: The Australian Army and the Vietnam War 1950–1966 |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=1993 |isbn=1-86373-282-9 |location=St Leonards}}

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{{Commons category|Nui Dat}}

• [http://vietnam-war.commemoration.gov.au/phuoc-tuy-province/nui-dat.php Nui Dat – Australian Task Force Base] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219110931/http://vietnam-war.commemoration.gov.au/phuoc-tuy-province/nui-dat.php |date=19 February 2017 }} – Department of Veterans Affairs (Australia)

{{Ba Ria–Vung Tau province}}

Category:Geography of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu province

Category:Australian Army bases

Category:Massacres committed by Australia

Category:Massacres in 1967

Category:Massacres in the Vietnam War

Category:Vietnam War military installations

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Category:Vietnam War crimes by anti-communist forces

Category:Military history of Australia during the Vietnam War