Date25th January 2026Date KnownExactDescriptionLe Tu lives just down the road from my parents, and her son and I went to school together. Each time I drive past their house on my way home I am rewarded with delight at the sight of the carefully shaped reindeer hedge in their front yard. On a Sunday afternoon her daughter Samantha invites me inside, leading me through to a vast backyard bursting with garden beds of medicinal herbs, ample fruits and vegetables and huge dragon hedges.
Le Tu Duong’s story is one of tenacity and courage. She arrived in Australia in 1979 after her fourth attempt by boat, having endured capture by Thai pirates and ten months in a refugee camp in Indonesia. Traveling with her grandmother and joining her father’s family already settled in Australia, Le Tu eventually made her way to Brisbane via Singapore before moving to Sydney. She sombrely recalls the countless lives lost at sea during that time, a reminder of the treacherous journey so many undertook in search of safety and a new home.
Settling in Western Sydney, Le Tu and her husband built a life rooted in community and hard work. With the support of friends and family, they bought their first home in 1985, raising their family and building careers - Le Tu as a sewing machinist, production supervisor, and sales coordinator, even dabbling in acting and cake-making. Despite humble beginnings, she fondly remembers the joy and warmth of a new life in Australia, embracing the country her family would come to call home. Through decades of work, love, and perseverance, Le Tu’s journey reflects both the struggles and triumphs of migration, family, and belonging.
- Chloë Nour, February 2026PhotographerChloë NourNotesThese photographs are part of the 2025 City Photographer project.
Details
Image ColourColourTypeDigitalCopyrightPartial restriction. Please contact Fairfield City Heritage Services for image use.AcknowledgementChloë Nour 2025 Fairfield City Photographer. Image courtesy of Fairfield City Heritage Collection.
Le Tu Duong (25th January 2026). Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 10/06/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/7201
