ANZAC Day - what to expect

The experience of attending an ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Gallipoli is something you will remember forever. It can be quite tiring, but well worth it. A moderate level of fitness is important.

The crowd size varies each year, but the average crowd is somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000. Expect to see hundreds of buses and a sea of red, white, blue, green and gold, black and white and red and white as young Australians, New Zealanders and Turkish people proudly display their country colours.

Getting There
We will get to ANZAC Cove in the early evening of 24th April in order to get as good a spot as possible. After getting off the bus, we take a short walk along a bush path to get to ANZAC Cove. There will be a bag search point - please note that alcohol is strictly forbidden at the site as a result of rowdy behaviour in years gone by.

At the site
At Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair Memorials there is temporary grandstand seating erected as there is not enough room for everyone to sit on the grassy areas. Unfortunately seating cannot be reserved or guaranteed. So make sure you have an early night the night before.

We then settle in for the night to wait for the Dawn Service. There will be plenty to do however - large TV screens will show documentaries, there is likely to be some entertainment, and throughout the evening there will be speeches from a range of dignitaries from Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. The atmosphere at the site is electric.

Food stalls and stalls selling memorabilia will be set up at the site, and there are plenty of toilets available.

Nights at ANZAC Cove are always very cold - you'll need to make sure you have warm clothes packed and a sleeping bag is a must have.

What to wear, what to bring
The days are often very warm, so dressing in layers is a good idea. It's a good idea to pack some wet weather gear too.

Make sure that whatever you bring can be easily carried because once the bus drops us off at the site on the 24th, we won't be able to access the bus or our luggage again until we are picked up on the 25th. We suggest a small day pack. Please note that camping gear and large backpacks are prohibited at the site.

What happens after the ANZAC Day dawn service?
After the Dawn Service finishes, we make our way to the Australian and New Zealand memorial sites. Be prepared for a fairly steep uphill walk. Suncream and a hat are important as there is no shade cover. It's a good idea to make sure you have something to sit on during these services - most people simply spread out their sleeping bag. At the Australian memorial site, the New Zealand and Turkish services are usually screened, and vice versa, so you don't need to worry about trying to rush between the sites.

Leaving ANZAC Cove
After the services the hundreds of buses are allowed back into the site to pick up their passengers at the points pre-arranged with each group's guide. This part of the day is quite a sight to behold, as thousands of people sit or lie on the grass waiting for their bus and then scramble to try to get on the right bus. It is important to be watching out for your bus, as the buses have a very short time they are allowed to stop in order to prevent traffic chaos.

More information
The Australian Department of Veteran Affairs website has a good overview of what to expect at ANZAC Day, including information for people who require special needs assistance - we highly recommend you read it prior to the day.

4 day ANZAC Day Tour
11 Day ANZAC Day Tour