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Anzac Day Gallipoli trip: how to plan the dawn service
An Anzac Day Gallipoli trip means a long night outdoors, a lot of walking and a ceremony at first light on 25 April. The Dawn Service is held at the Anzac Commemorative Site at North Beach, on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey. You should register with the Department of Veterans' Affairs, pack for cold and rain, and be ready for about 30 hours on site.
Anzac Day marks the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops on the peninsula on 25 April 1915. This guide covers what the Australian Government's own travel bulletin says for 2012, so you can plan before the day.
Sources for this section: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Smartraveller travel bulletin "Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France".
Register first
Start with two registrations. The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) asks travellers to register their plan to attend the Gallipoli services at www.gallipoliregistration.com. That keeps you up to date on the services.
The Smartraveller bulletin also tells you to register your travel and contact details on smartraveller.gov.au. The two systems do not share data, so use both. Add comprehensive travel insurance, and check what your policy does not cover.
Turkey's own travel advice for Australians, reissued on 21 March 2012, asks for a high degree of caution because of the high threat of terrorist attack. Read it before you book. Also note that from 1 February 2012 Turkey allows ordinary-visa tourists a maximum stay of 90 days in any 180 days.
Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France; Smartraveller, Travel advice for Turkey.
The two day program
The services run over two days in 2012. On Tuesday 24 April, the Turkish International Service at Mehmetcik Abidesi, the French service at Morto Bay and the Commonwealth service at Cape Helles take place.
On Wednesday 25 April, four services follow:
- The Dawn Service at the Anzac Commemorative Site, North Beach.
- The Australian Memorial Service at Lone Pine.
- The Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial Service.
- The New Zealand Memorial Service at Chunuk Bair.
The Anzac Commemorative Site is expected to close to visitors from about mid-morning on 24 April. It should reopen at about 6.00pm that evening. The road to the site is closed from 3.00am on 25 April until the Dawn Service begins. Check the DVA website for final times.
Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France.
How far you will walk
Expect to walk up to 8 km on uneven ground if you attend every service. The bulletin gives these distances.
| Leg | Distance | Ground |
|---|---|---|
| Dawn Service to Lone Pine | About 3 km | Includes 1.5 km of dirt with a very steep incline |
| Lone Pine to Chunuk Bair | 3.2 km | Steep bitumen road |
You need a moderate level of fitness and mobility. Wear sturdy shoes. The bulletin also asks you to take care near road edges, which may be soft or unstable, and to stay on marked roads and tracks.
Limited help may be available for people who cannot walk between the sites. Contact DVA well ahead of Anzac Day, by email at [email protected] or by phone on (+61) 02 6289 6717 or 02 6289 6261. You will need to give details of any medical condition. Facilities for people with disabilities are not generally available in Turkey.
Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France.
The cold, the wait and the weather
The site is a national park with no shelter at any commemorative site. You may arrive in the evening or at night, when it can be extremely cold, with temperatures possibly below zero. Rain and very cold winds are possible. By day it can be very warm and windy.
The bulletin says you can expect to be on site, in the open, for up to 30 hours. Large crowds, limited public utilities, traffic and security checks can mean long waits.
Swimming at Anzac Cove and North Beach is prohibited. This is general travel information, not medical advice. Before you fly, ask your own doctor or a travel clinic about any regular medication, and pack enough supplies for the trip.
Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France.
What to pack and what to leave
Coaches are parked a long way from the sites and do not return until all services end on the afternoon of 25 April. You may wait several hours for yours. Check the pick-up plan with your driver or tour leader. Pack everything you need for the night and next day before you get off.
- Warm and wet-weather clothing, plus a hat or cap and sunscreen.
- Extra clothing, bottled water, medication, a camera and your glasses.
- Sturdy walking shoes for steep, uneven ground.
Food and drinks are sold on site by Turkish sellers, and you may bring your own food. Toilets, lighting and non-drinking water are limited.
These items are prohibited and must stay locked on the coach: large backpacks, camping equipment, alcohol, flammable liquids, and weapons or sharp objects, including metal cutlery. Alcohol is confiscated, and anyone who is intoxicated is refused entry. Expect airport-style screening and bag searches. Turkish authorities run security, so follow their instructions and leave time at each checkpoint.
Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France.
Help on the ground
In Turkey, the nationwide police hotline is 155. The Australian Embassy in Ankara gives consular help, and the Smartraveller bulletin lists its details. If you also want to see the services in France, the same bulletin covers Villers-Bretonneux and Bullecourt.
Before you book, compare tours by what they include: coach pick-up times, overnight arrangements and seat or site access. Then confirm each point in writing.
Sources for this section: Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France.
Sources
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Smartraveller, Anzac Day 2012: Turkey, France (issued 20 February 2012): smartraveller.gov.au
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Smartraveller, Travel advice for Turkey: smartraveller.gov.au