Nui Dat Base Today: What Remains of the 1st Task Force: Many travelers visiting Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province are mistakenly told by casual guides, “There is nothing left to see at Nui Dat except a dirt hill.” While it is true that rubber plantations, pepper gardens, and peaceful rural villages have reclaimed much of the former military perimeter since Australian and New Zealand forces withdrew in late 1971 and early 1972, looking closer beneath the red earth reveals a remarkably different story.
If you examine the military layout from 1966 to 1971, nui dat base vietnam was not merely a small outpost—it was a sprawling, self-contained military ecosystem housing the headquarters of the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and supporting New Zealand units. In this detailed field guide, we explore what remains of the 1st task force at Nui Dat Base today—from hidden concrete bunkers and armored vehicle maintenance ramps to luscombe airfield nui dat and sas hill nui dat.
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Nui Dat Base Today: A Quiet Transformation from War to Peace
Located roughly 4 to 5 kilometers northwest of the Long Tan battlefield, Nui Dat (literally translating to “Dirt Hill” in Vietnamese) was selected in early 1966 as the main operational base for Australian and New Zealand combat forces in Phuoc Tuy Province. At its peak, the perimeter encompassed infantry battalions, artillery batteries, armored squadrons, engineers, signals units, Special Air Service (SAS) patrols, and a busy airfield.
Fast forward more than five decades, and “Dirt Hill” has returned to quiet agricultural life. The frantic roar of Huey helicopters, Caribou transports, and armored tracks has been replaced by the rustle of rubber trees, banana groves, and friendly village roads. Yet, for travelers guided by knowledgeable local researchers, the physical footprint and surviving relics of Nui Dat Base today remain unmistakably traceable across the landscape.
What Remains of the 1st Task Force: Surviving Relics & Landmarks
When exploring what remains of the 1st task force on the ground, visitors can still identify both physical concrete structures concealed by vegetation and exact historical sector layouts:
1. The Silent Signal: New Zealand Artillery Communications Bunker
Deep within the shaded rows of a rubber plantation at the heart of the former camp, weathered concrete walls remain anchored into the red earth. These surviving ruins once served as the Communications Unit bunker for the New Zealand Artillery during the late 1960s. Functioning as a vital nerve center where tactical commands and fire-mission signals echoed across Phuoc Tuy Province, the bunker stands today in heavy silence as nature slowly reclaims its perimeter.
2. Royal Australian Engineers M113A1 APC Maintenance Ramp
Partially concealed inside a local banana plantation lies another rare surviving trace of Australia’s military presence: an intact concrete maintenance ramp constructed in the late 1960s by the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME). This heavy-duty ramp was built specifically to service M113A1 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs)—the aluminum-hulled, tracked combat vehicles that played a decisive role in relieving D Company during the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 1966 (and which were later supplemented at Nui Dat by Centurion main battle tanks in early 1968).
3. Luscombe Airfield Nui Dat (The Former Airstrip)
During the late 1960s, luscombe airfield nui dat was the bustling logistical lifeline of nui dat base vietnam. Named after Captain Bryan Luscombe, the airstrip saw constant takeoffs and landings by RAAF Caribou transport aircraft, light reconnaissance planes, and “Dustoff” medical evacuation helicopters kicking up clouds of red dust. Today, the runway’s unmistakable straight alignment still carves directly through the village as a wide rural road, allowing visitors to stand right on the former flight line.
4. SAS Hill Nui Dat (Nui Dat 1 Hill) & Helipads
Rising prominently at the center of the former perimeter is sas hill nui dat (historically designated Nui Dat 1), which housed the Australian Special Air Service (SAS) squadrons. Climbing up the rocky slope offers a commanding 360-degree view of the surrounding countryside, Nui Dinh mountains, and the strategic approaches that 1 ATF monitored. Nearby, you can also pinpoint the former Task Force chopper pads and the 6 RAR helipad where helicopters loaded emergency ammunition during the August 1966 storm.
5. 5 RAR & 6 RAR Battalion Lines, Artillery Batteries & Concert Area
With the help of wartime aerial reconnaissance maps and an experienced battlefield guide, visitors walking Nui Dat Base today can still locate:
- Artillery Firing Positions: The exact sectors where Australian 105mm howitzer batteries, New Zealand 105mm artillery (161st Battery RNZA), and supporting U.S. 155mm batteries were positioned to fire critical support missions toward Long Tan.
- 5 RAR and 6 RAR Battalion Areas: The former headquarters and company lines—including the 6 RAR sector where D Company departed on patrol on 18 August 1966 and where A Company boarded APCs for the relief column.
- The Natural Amphitheater Concert Site: The hillside clearing where Australian entertainers—including Little Pattie and Col Joye—performed for troops on the afternoon of 18 August 1966 just as heavy gunfire erupted at Long Tan.
- The Gateway of Hoa Long Village: Situated adjacent to the western perimeter, Hoa Long remains a living link between wartime history and peaceful daily life in Ba Ria.
6. Forgotten Base Memorials & Cenotaphs
Few travelers realize that between 1966 and 1971, the Australian Army established roughly 15 unit memorials and cenotaphs inside Nui Dat Base and the surrounding Long Tan sector—such as the March 1969 memorial dedicated to fallen soldiers of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1 RAR). While the Long Tan Cross Memorial remains the most famous monument today, tracing the locations of these earlier unit memorials reveals how deeply the base was woven into the lives of the soldiers stationed here.
Why You Need a Specialist Guide to Explore Nui Dat Base Today
Because nui dat base vietnam is an active agricultural community rather than a fenced commercial museum, there are virtually no tourist signposts or English information boards marking the New Zealand signals bunker, the RAEME APC maintenance ramp, or specific battalion lines. Without local historical expertise, independent visitors often drive right past concrete relics hidden in banana and rubber plantations without realizing what they are seeing.
To get the most out of your visit, explore our guided battlefield options and planning resources:
- Full-Day Excursion from Saigon: Join our private Long Tan Nui Dat BattleField Tour, which pairs an in-depth exploration of Nui Dat Base today with the Long Phuoc Tunnels and the Long Tan Cross Memorial (see also how to get to Long Tan from Ho Chi Minh City).
- Shore Excursions & Coastal Departures: Arriving by cruise liner or staying by the beach? Check out our Long Tan Nui Dat Tour from Phu My Port and Long Tan Tour from Vung Tau.
- Veteran & Commemorative Pilgrimages: Customize a unit-specific itinerary with our Australian Veterans Tour Vietnam, or travel for ANZAC Day (25 April) and Long Tan Day (18 August).
- Broader Planning Guides: Read our comprehensive Long Tan Nui Dat Travel Guide and compare historical excursions in Vietnam War Tours from Ho Chi Minh City: Best Battle Sites.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nui Dat Base Today
Is anything left of Nui Dat Base today?
Yes. While most wartime tents and wooden structures were dismantled after 1971, physical relics remain at Nui Dat Base today—including the concrete New Zealand Artillery communications bunker in the rubber plantation, an intact Royal Australian Engineers concrete maintenance ramp for M113A1 APCs, concrete gate pillars, and the straight alignment of Luscombe Airfield.
Where is Luscombe Airfield Nui Dat located now?
Luscombe Airfield Nui Dat—the main runway used by RAAF Caribou transports and helicopters during the Vietnam War—is now a wide, straight rural road running directly through Nui Dat village in Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, bordered by local homes, pepper gardens, and rubber trees.
Can visitors still climb SAS Hill Nui Dat?
Yes, visitors can walk up SAS Hill Nui Dat (historically designated Nui Dat 1 Hill), which sits at the center of the former 1st Australian Task Force perimeter. From the rocky summit, you get a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside, Nui Dinh mountains, and former battalion sectors.
Do I need a guide to see what remains of the 1st Task Force?
Because Nui Dat Base Vietnam is now a working farming community with no tourist signage or public maps on-site, hiring a specialist military history guide is essential to locate hidden bunkers, the APC maintenance ramp, artillery firing lines, and exact 5 RAR and 6 RAR positions.
How far is Nui Dat Base from the Long Tan Cross Memorial?
The former Nui Dat Base is located only about 4 to 5 kilometers (a 10-minute drive) northwest of the Long Tan rubber plantation and the Long Tan Cross Memorial, making it easy to explore both sites together on a half-day or full-day tour.
