Australia’s war history plays a significant role in our national identity. The ‘Diggers’, ‘ANZACs’ and Australia’s role in the Gallipoli campaign in World War 1 helped define the characteristics we now think of as quintessentially Aussie – mateship, bravery, sacrifice and larrikinism.
The Australian War Memorial helps bring to life Australia’s defence force history. The galleries have been put together to appeal to people of all ages, making them very family-friendly. There are plenty of visual displays and interactive screens to keep young minds engaged. We found the photographic displays quite moving, particularly the faces of Australia's war casualties.
We have a bit of family history in both World Wars. Before we left for our trip, I used the online records available through the War Memorial’s website and national archives to trace the history of my great-great-great grandfather and the battles he fought in during World War 1. This helped make some of the galleries particularly meaningful for our family.
Before our 2021 trip, I had booked time in the Reading Room to look at records written by a great-great aunt, whose hand-written records of nursing on Lemnos are held by the memorial. I didn’t have time to make the same booking for our 2022 trip, but I do hope to look at the records in person one day. To research your own family’s war history, head to the Memorial’s page containing all the information you need to get started.
Entry to the Australian War Memorial is free, but bookings are required to enter the galleries and commemorative area and to attend the daily Last Post Ceremony. You will need to make two separate bookings if you’d like to do both, as we did. We made our gallery booking in the afternoon, close to the time of the Ceremony.
It is very straightforward to book through the website. Gallery entry is for two-hour windows which can be booked to start during the gallery opening hours of 10 am to 5 pm daily (closed Christmas Day). You will probably need the full two hours, as the galleries include Aircraft Hall, Hall of Valour, First World War Galleries, Second World War Galleries and the Commemorative Area, which includes the Hall of Memory, Roll of Honour, Pool of Reflection and Tomb of the Unknown Australian Soldier.
Entry for the Last Post Ceremony begins at 4:20 pm and the ceremony starts at 4:45 pm. When we attended, the ceremony included the national anthem sung by a visiting international choir, the history of one soldier listed on the Roll of Honour and some other formalities. It was not a long ceremony, but a moving one.
Ample free parking is available under the memorial, which is located in very scenic grounds on Fairbairn Avenue in Campbell. The War Memorial is physically aligned with the Parliament House, and it is possible to look from one to the other across Canberra, providing a stunning view. There is a café on site, for those interested in having a food break during the visit. It is located outside the gallery area and has a lovely courtyard which contains some statues that are worth a look.
For more information, visit the Australian War Memorial website.
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