Vietnam allows Australia's Long Tan war ceremony

Vietnam has granted Australians restricted access to a battle site in order to mark the 50th anniversary of the incident during the Vietnam War.

More than 1,000 Australian veterans and their families travelled to Vietnam to commemorate the battle of Long Tan, but a commemoration ceremony, gala dinner and concert remain cancelled.

Eighteen Australian soldiers and hundreds of North Vietnamese fighters died in the battle, deep in southern Vietnam, on 18 August 1966.

On Wednesday, police blocked access to the site, which is on private land, without explanation.

Local sensitivities are thought to have been behind the sudden decision to stop the event going ahead.

Australian Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan confirmed that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc spoke on Wednesday night.

"As a result of PM Turnbull's urging for the Vietnamese government to show empathy and compassion towards our veterans and their families who have travelled to Vietnam, the Vietnamese government has decided that they will allow a wreath laying at the site," he told the Nine Network. "They will also allow groups of up to 100 to visit the site and pay their respects."

War historian Mat McLachlan suggested that the high profile of the event may have led to its cancellation.

"I think the problem this year is that we made a bit of a mistake, we tried to make it too much of a song and dance, and eventually the Vietnamese just decided enough was enough," he said.

Meanwhile hundreds of people have gathered at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to commemorate the battle, the BBC reports.