Photos & Videos: Unveiling Ceremony of ‘Mythical Crane Boat’ by Artist Van Phu Le in Richmond
Commissioned by Yarra City Council, the ‘Mythical Crane Boat’ artwork was officially unveiled at 11:00am on Saturday 20 June 2026 by Mayor Stephen Jolly, Councillor Meca Ho and artist Van Phu Le –at Lennox and Butler Street Park in Richmond (Melbourne, VIC).
Yarra City Council acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners and true sovereigns of the land now known as Yarra.
Following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975, Vietnamese people took dangerous journeys to seek safety and freedom. Many arrived in Australia with few possessions, and some did not survive the passage.
Richmond and Abbotsford became important places of settlement and connection, where Vietnamese community, culture and enterprise took root and continue to thrive.
Mythical Crane Boat honours those who made this journey and those who were lost. The boat takes the form of a mythical crane, drawn from Lạc Việt legend. The crane symbolises wisdom, resilience and freedom. It is turning, navigating and finding safe passage rather than confronting danger ahead.
Artist Van Phu Le came to Australia as a refugee in 1981, and his experience as a refugee has informed this work.
“The boat, shaped like a mythical crane, symbolises the Lac Viet lineage, rooted in ancient legend, the crane represents wisdom, resilience and freedom”, Phu Le said.
“When danger arises, it does not confront blindly —it turns, navigates, and finds the path to safety. Like generations of Vietnamese people who, when faced with danger and loss, set out across unknown seas in search of freedom”.
The unveiling of this marker is years in the making, beginning when Vietnamese Community members approached Council in 2024 to request Council recognise the 50th anniversary. A Community Project Consultative Group was appointed in 2025, and it has guided the entire process of the marker’s development with cultural advice and knowledge.
This artwork celebrates the enduring presence and significant cultural and economic contributions of the Vietnamese community to Victoria Street, Richmond, and Abbotsford. It also acknowledges the legacy carried forward by future generations. (NQ)
