Walter Pearson

Senior Historian and Tour Leader

Journalist, documentary-maker, fluent in Vietnamese language, expert in Vietnamese history, culture, and cuisine.

 

Walter is a two-tour, twice-wounded, Viet Nam War Veteran. He was writer-producer on the acclaimed SBS documentary Vietnam Minefield.  Walter searched for Australia’s MIAs with Operation Aussies Home and lived in a rural town 100 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City leading a typical Vietnamese lifestyle.

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Walter has led tours for veterans, military groups, schools, religious groups, VIPs, and families over a decade and a half. He interprets this unusual land like no one else.

 

Walter says, “I do this because I sincerely want people to understand Viet Nam in all its complexity".

Luke Johnston

Historian and Tour Leader

Son of an Australian National Service Vietnam Veteran, researcher, historian, and fluent Vietnam language speaker. For the past decade, Luke has researched Australian military activities in Vietnam and retraced his father's year on operations in Viet Nam. He developed a passion for Viet Nam's long history, modern culture, geography, and cuisine.

 

Luke now lives in southern Vietnam fully immersed day-to-day in the local way of life. He thrives on sharing his knowledge with his guests.

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Find out more at vinaheritage.wixsite.com/home

Tamara Sloper-Harding OAM

Tour Leader And East Timor Expert

Known as The Lady In The Hat to many in East Timor, Tamara first went there in 1999 in the wake of the violence following East Timor's referendum on independence. At that time she was a Royal Australian Navy officer and was one of the first people into the shattered territory.

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She travelled extensively gathering a profound knowledge of the country, meeting its people, and falling in love with both.

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Tamara spent time in the village of Soibada located in the centre of Timore Leste. Since then, she has maintained a close association with the village spearheading a continuous program of assistance aimed at providing education, training, and jobs for people determined to build a strong future for their nation.  

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On Australia Day 2016, Tamara was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her work for the communities of Timor Leste and her own community of Pittwater, in Sydney.