Australian War Memorial reveals Dili diorama on 25th anniversary

Ahead of the 25th anniversary of the International Force East Timor (Interfet) on 20 September, the Australian War Memorial is releasing the first glimpse of a diorama depicting Australian troops making an amphibious landing in Dili, East Timor (now Timor-Leste) as the peacekeeping operation began.

David Sutton, Senior Historian for the Memorial’s new Peacekeeping: 1947 to today gallery, said the diorama reconstructs day two of Interfet operations, when the Royal Australian Navy landed hundreds of Australian Army troops.

“The Memorial has a great tradition of diorama building to show significant moments in Australian military history through those dioramas, and we wanted to continue that tradition with the new galleries,” Dr Sutton said.

“This new diorama is the first to show a 21st century military operation.”

Interfet was the Australian-led peacekeeping mission between 1999 and 2000. It helped rebuild the security and stability needed to establish Timor-Leste as a free and independent nation.

The largest deployment of Australian troops since Vietnam, Interfet included Australian Defence Force personnel from all three services – the Navy, Army and Air Force – who began landing in East Timor on 20 September 1999.

To ensure accuracy and realism, the reconstruction is based on thousands of hours of research of archives, photographic records, and face-to-face interviews with veterans and East Timorese people who were there.

“Dioramas help to recreate these operations as part of INTERFET in a relatable and tangible way, alongside the National Collection objects and items that tell the story,” Dr Sutton said.

The diorama will be displayed in the new Peacekeeping: 1947 to today gallery in the new Anzac Hall, which is now under development.

Australian War Memorial Director Matt Anderson said the Memorial’s Development project will increase gallery space to allow the stories of modern operations to be told.

“Australia has deployed Peacekeepers in the field with the United Nations every single day since 1947, and it is important that the Memorial shares this long, proud and continuing history with our visitors.

“The Peacekeeping operations in East Timor from 1999 through to 2013 are some of the most important that Australia has been involved in.

“The Interfet diorama in the new Peacekeeping: 1947 to today gallery will help all Australians understand both the confronting nature of the operation, and to be justifiably proud of the achievements of all who served with INTERFET 25 years ago.”

The diorama will be on display when the new galleries open in 2026.