Anzac Day is one of our most important national occasions, a time many hold close to their heart. Not only is it the anniversary of the landing of Gallipoli, but also the day we commemorate all Australians and New Zealanders who have served in conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world. With the Anzac Centenary upon us, from 2014 to 2018, there has never been a better time to make that special journey to pay your respects and delve deep into Australian history. Whether you’re looking to venture overseas to foreign lands or stay on home soil, there are many destinations near and far perfect for the pilgrimage.
Probably the most popular Anzac Day pilgrimage is a trip to Gallipoli, where the Anzacs landed on 25 April, 1915. With the 100th anniversary of the landing coming up in 2015, it’s sure to be an incredibly touching once-in-a-lifetime experience. While the Australian ballot to select who can attend the centenary commemorations has already been drawn, the dawn ceremony is moving whatever the year – and even outside of the popular Anzac Day period, the experience is unforgettable. Free from heaving crowds you’ll have more space to take in Anzac Cove, where the troops landed, and the historic Anzac battlefields, including the infamous Lone Pine and The Nek. There are also many war cemeteries, monuments and memorials to discover scattered across this sliver of Turkey’s arresting coastline. While there is much to discover, even travellers with just a day to spare can get a fascinating intro along the Anzac Walk.
Just over two hours’ drive north of glitzy Paris awaits Villers-Bretonneux, a vital WWI site where an overwhelming 48,000 Australian troops were killed defending the Western Front – but also where they claimed one of their greatest victories. Here you’ll discover an Australian War Memorial, the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery and the Franco-Australian Museum, which tells the story of Australia’s involvement. Look a little closer around town and you’ll also notice interesting street names nodding to home, like Rue de Melbourne and Rue de Victoria, and on the way to the village Cachy awaits a small monument commemorating the first British and German tank battle. Just up the road in Bullecourt you’ll discover the bronzed ‘Bullecourt Digger’ statue peering out over the former battlefields, and throughout the wider region, hundreds of war cemeteries, memorials and monuments play tribute. If you’re there on Anzac Day, memorial services are held in both Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt every year.
Hellfire Pass is an increasingly popular destination for pilgrims – the deepest of the many cuttings along the Thai-Burma railway. Perched in Thailand’s Kanchanaburi Province, about three hours west of the capital Bangkok, it offers a unique multicultural experience. The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum, which was set up by the Australian government in 2005, commemorates the Allied prisoners of war (POWs) who died and suffered here and throughout the Asia Pacific region, as well as the Asian labourers. During WWII, over 60,000 POWs were forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway alone. Here you can explore the museum, the various cuttings and sites, and on Anzac Day, take part in the Dawn Service and ‘gun breakfast’ that precedes the service at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery.
If you’d prefer to stay on home soil to commemorate and discover Australia’s war and national history, Canberra is rich in stories, monuments and cultural programs. One of the most popular local attractions at any time of year is the Australian War Memorial, which is rolling out a series of ongoing projects, galleries and events to honour the centenary. While many are temporary and changing throughout the centenary period, there’s also a handful of travelling exhibitions that may stop even closer to home. But if you’re in Canberra in time for Anzac Day, don’t miss the National Anzac Day Ceremony and beautiful Dawn Service. Alternatively, travel to Albany in Western Australia in time for the special centenary commemoration in November 2014. It was from here, along the beautiful waters of King George Sound, that thousands of men set sail for foreign shores, some never to return.
Other International Anzac Day Commemorations:
Belgium – Zonnebeke Municipal War Memorial or Buttes New British Cemetery.
Papua New Guinea – Dawn Service at Bomana War Cemetery, Port Moresby.
Malaysia – Sandakan Memorial Park, Sandakan.
England – Australian War Memorial, Hyde Park, London.
New Zealand – War Memorial Park, Wellington.
Have you ever travelled to witness any of these special Anzac destinations? What did you feel while you were there?
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