ANZAC Day 2008

Friday 25 April 2008

ANZAC Day is the day Australians remember the original landing on Gallipoli in 1915. The spirit of ANZAC, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity. On this day, the service of our veterans is acknowledged in ceremonies held in towns and cities across the nation. The ever-growing attendance at these ceremonies testifies to ANZAC Day’s significance for all Australians. In Canberra, the Australian War Memorial, in close cooperation with RSL ACT, hosts the Dawn Service and the National ANZAC Day Ceremony. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commemorative Ceremony will be held after the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Aboriginal Memorial plaque on the side of Mount Ainslie.

 

Dawn service

ANZAC Day traditionally begins with the Dawn Service at the Memorial, a reminder of the dawn landing on Gallipoli in 1915. The screeching of the cockatoos in the early morning chill gives a distinctive Canberra touch to this special day of remembrance.

Program

Time

5.30 am – 6.00 am
Suggest arrival by 5.00 am

The Memorial's Commemorative Area is open at the completion of the Dawn Service. Here the public may view the Tri-Service Guard mounted at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.

The Hall of Memory will be open during this time, giving people the opportunity to lay a poppy on the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.

Location

Parade Ground, Australian War Memorial

Getting there

Road closures

Roads surrounding the Memorial will be closed from 4.00 am until approximately 12.00 noon. These roads include:

Buses

ACTION Buses will operate a free service from all interchanges to the Dawn Service.

ACTION Park N Ride shuttle service will operate from Russell Offices car park to:

This will run on a continuous loop before the service between 4.00 am and 5.15 am.

Return services will be available 20 minutes after the completion of the Dawn Service from Limestone Avenue, between Treloar Crescent and ANZAC Parade.

Any persons wearing or displaying war service medals on the 25th April are entitled to free travel on any ACTION timetable service.

Parking

There is limited parking available at the Memorial.

Mobility impaired parking is available on site. Only cars displaying Government Issued Disability Access Permits may park in the designated permit area. Drop off of mobility impaired guests is available at the rear of the Memorial off Treloar Crescent.

Refreshments

General information

Wet weather arrangements

The Dawn Service will proceed even in inclement weather; please come prepared.

National ANZAC Day Ceremony

Join the National ANZAC Day Ceremony at the Australian War Memorial.

The National ANZAC Day Ceremony begins with a march by Australian Veterans of wars and peacekeeping deployments.

25th April 2008 is the 93rd Anniversary of the Gallipoli landing. The Gallipoli campaign resulted in the deaths of over 8,000 Australians and in the creation of an enduring “ANZAC legend”, both powerful factors in Australia’s continuing remembrance of war.

Program

Time

10.15 am – 12.00 noon

We suggest you arrive before 9.45 am.

Seating is ticketed before the ceremony

Guests with entrée cards are required to be seated 10.00 am.

The public are welcome to bring chairs or rugs.

An RAAF aircraft will fly over at the end of the National Ceremony.

The Memorial will open at the completion of the National Ceremony, and will be open until 5 pm.

You are invited to lay a single poppy at the Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier at the completion of the ceremony.

Location

Parade Ground, Australian War Memorial

Getting there

Road closures

Roads surrounding the Memorial will be closed from 4.00 am until approximately 12.00 noon. These roads include:

Buses

Please visit ACTION for bus timetable information.

Any persons wearing or displaying war service medals on the 25th April are entitled to free travel on any ACTION timetable service.

ACTION Park N Ride Shuttle service will operate from Russell Offices car park

This will run on a continuous loop between 8.30 am and 10.00 am.

At the completion of the ceremony return shuttles will pick up at the rear of the Memorial on Treloar Crescent, travelling back to Russell via Fairbairn Avenue. This will run on a continuous loop between 12 noon and 1.00 pm.

Parking

There is limited parking available at the Memorial.

Mobility impaired parking is available on site. Only cars displaying Government Issued Disability Access Permits may park in the designated permit area. Drop off of mobility impaired guests is available at the rear of the Memorial off Treloar Crescent.

Veterans' March

All enquiries regarding the 2008 March Past should be directed to the RSL ACT (02) 6162 2670.

Refreshments

The Landing Place and Outpost Cafes will serve refreshments throughout the day until 5 pm.

General information

Wet weather arrangements

The National Ceremony will proceed even in inclement weather; please come prepared.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commemorative Ceremony

The ceremony will be held after the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at the Aboriginal Memorial plaque on the side of Mount Ainslie. The ceremony will commence at 6.30 am.

This commemorative ceremony is conducted to remember those Indigenous Australians who have served in the Australian Forces since 1901. It is hosted by members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association, an Indigenous Veterans Advocacy group, and is open to all members of the public.

For further information please contact Gary Oakley National President ATSIVSA on 02 6243 4532 or email.

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