BRIMBANK is the state’s Vietnamese hot spot as a new wave of migrants flows in.
But multicultural support services say the new arrivals are settling in with more ease than their predecessors in the late 1970s.
Census data released last month revealed that 17,920 Vietnamese migrants live in Brimbank, up from 15,116 in 2006.
One in eight residents speak Vietnamese (12.5 per cent), followed by Maltese (3.3 per cent), Greek (3.2 per cent), Italian (3.2 per cent) and Macedonian (2.9 per cent).
The percentage of residents claiming Vietnamese ancestry (11 per cent) is also closely rivalled by those of Australian heritage (11.1 per cent).
Vietnamese migrant Anh Vu, 21, came to Melbourne in 2009.
Last month she began daily English lessons at Community West to help accomplish her dream of becoming a nurse.
Anh says while she misses her friends and family from her native country, she’s quickly settling into her new homeland.
“Everybody is friendly and welcoming,” she says.
“When I walk down my street, people of all different nationalities always say hello to me.”
Head of education at Community West in St Albans, Lindee Conway, says almost half of the Vietnamese students she teaches at the centre are women aged 45-55 who have lived in Australia for more than 20 years.
“These women have worked hard, brought up their children and are now looking to strengthen their own skills,” she says.
Ms Conway says St Albans consistently reflects the changing face of Australia.
“Whether it be the Polish, African, European, or Asian waves of migrants, St Albans reflects these changes and migrants flock to the area.”
But she says the new wave of Vietnamese migrants are settling in faster.
“Expectations are higher these days, so often they will prepare themselves by taking English classes back home.”
Brimbank and Maribyrnong Interfaith Network’s Venerable Phuoc Tan agrees.
“Vietnamese migrants are settling in quicker because the prospect of employment is brighter and there are more support services for them in Brimbank than there ever has been,” he says.
“Not only are we seeing more overseas migrants, but there are also Vietnamese people moving from other areas of the state because there is such a big population of their own here.
“They feel more at home and it’s affordable for them to live.”
