The Nambus – a fitted-out mobile museum depicting memorabilia of the Vietnam War and Australia’s military involvement – was relaunched at Ettalong on April 3 after the original bus fell to ‘wear and tear’.
Military advocate from the Ettalong-based Vietnam Veterans’, Peacekeepers & Peacemakers Association Central Coast Sub-branch, Dr Stephen Karsai, said the bus travels around NSW, educating students on the lessons of war.
“This has given a new lease of life to our mobile historical bus to teach our school children of Australians’ involvement in the Vietnam War,” Karsai said.
“Thank you to our local Federal member, Lucy Wicks, for her wonderful support and all those who have worked on the bus to make the relaunch a great success.
“To have the bus attend a school in NSW please contact our secretary Lorraine Scott on Monday or Wednesday between 9:30am and 1:30pm to book our bus.”
The Gosford City Sub-branch of the Vietnam Veterans Federation of Australia first pursued the concept of the Nambus, after the original Nambus fell to wear and tear and became mechanically un road worthy in 1994.
The sub-branch said they requested assistance at a meeting with committee members, Jim Lloyd and Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, who in turn raised the matter with Minister for Veterans Affairs, Bruce Scott.
Funding was made available under the Federal Government’s ‘Their Service-Our Heritage Scheme’ to help the sub-branch purchase, gut and outfit the bus.
The sub-branch said the business community also helped sponsor the project.
The Nambus will visit schools and colleges, on invitation, throughout NSW, and will be manned by ex-service volunteers.
The Nambus project aims to educate students on Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War, provide an ideal form of therapy for the veterans who man the bus, provide a means whereby the Association can find, contact and help any veteran in the communities who are still in need of assistance, and to promote and support the ethos of the ex-service and service community in the traditions of the spirit of ANZAC.
Maisy Rae