Turkey ANZAC Day commemorations 2022 Gallipoli.
We are sure that your visit to the Gallipoli Peninsula will be a memorable one. However, it is important for visitors to understand that limited facilities are available at the commemorative sites. The memorial sites are located in a national park with no permanent infrastructure or any kind of shelter…
All seating, lighting & toilet facilities must be brought in from outside the park. The Anzac Commemorative Site is very small. Grassed space at the Anzac Commemorative Site is limited & fills up very quickly after the site opens. Security at the site is managed by the Turkish authorities. Visitors can expect delays entering the site for security screening (airport type screening).
The weather at Gallipoli can get very cold overnight (below freezing) & there may be rain. Visitors must come prepared for these conditions as there is no shelter at the Commemorative sites. This website will be updated as current information changes. Due to changes that occur in the international travel environment, potential travellers to Turkey should refer to the latest travel advice on the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade “Smart Traveller” website. See travel hints & a consular information card for Australians travelling to Turkey to attend the 2020 ANZAC Day commemorations. Please also register here to receive updates should circumstances change or vital information needs to be sent to visitors.
Anzac Day commemorations 2022
Anzac Day services on the Gallipoli Peninsula are conducted by Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, Britain & France. In 2022 services will be held on Wednesday 24th & Thursday 25th April. The service times listed below are based on 2011 start times & may change closer to the service period.
Friday, 24 April 2022
09:00 – 10:50 Turkish International Service, Mehmetcik Abidesi
11:15 – 11:40 French Memorial Service, Morto Bay
12:00 – 12:25 Commonwealth Memorial Service, Cape Helles
Saturday, 25 April 2022
05:30 – 06:15 Dawn Service, Anzac Commemorative Site, North Beach
09:30 – 10:00 Australian Memorial Service, Lone Pine
10:30 – 11:00 Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial Service, Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial
11:30 – 12:00 New Zealand Memorial Service, Chunuk Bair
The Anzac Commemorative Site is expected to be closed to visitor entry from approximately late morning to early evening on Wednesday 24 April. The road leading to the Anzac Commemorative Site will be closed from 3am on Thursday 25 April until the start of the Dawn Service.
Preparing to attend Anzac Day commemorations
You should have a moderate level of fitness if you plan to attend the Anzac Day commemorations. To attend the services you can expect to walk up to 8 kms on uneven surfaces. The walk from the Dawn Service to Lone Pine where the Australian service is held is approximately 3 kms & includes a section of 1.5 kms of uneven dirt surface with a very steep incline. The walk from Lone Pine to Chunuk Bair where the New Zealand service is held is 3.2kms up a steep bitumen surfaced road.
What to expect
-All commemorative services are held in a National Park.
-All commemorative services are open to the public however seating is not reserved nor guaranteed.
-You will arrive in the early evening or at night when it may be extremely cold & windy, & it may rain.
-The weather during the day may be warm & windy.
-You will need to pass through security at Anzac Commemorative Site & again at Lone Pine. -Considerable delays can be expected due to the large numbers of people attending.
-You can expect to be on site exposed to the elements for between 12 & 30 hours.
-There is no shelter at any of the commemorative sites or within the Anzac area.
-Temporary tiered seating is installed at the Anzac Commemorative site, Lone Pine & Chunuk -Bair for the Anzac Day Services. In addition to the tiered seating, the grassed areas within the site also provide seating areas. As many visitors attend services seating is neither reserved nor guaranteed.
-The site is likely to be crowded & as the grassed areas fill quickly there may not be room to stretch out & fall asleep.
-Warm & wet weather protective clothing, as well as a hat/cap & sunscreen are necessary to ensure your wellbeing & comfort at the ceremonies.
-You will walk considerable distances from the time of your arrival to attend the services until your departure from the Anzac area – these walks are uphill including on very steep, graded dirt surfaces. You must have a moderate level of fitness & mobility to walk these distances.
-Food & refreshments are available for purchase from the Turkish food sellers on site. You may bring in your own food. Alcohol is NOT allowed at the commemorations & will be confiscated.
-Limited basic facilities including toilets, lighting & non-drinking water are brought in to the commemorative sites for the Anzac Day commemorations on 24 & 25 April.
-Swimming in the waters off the Anzac area is prohibited.
Packing
Bring:
Wet weather jacket & pants, Warm, thermal clothing, jacket, beanie, hat or cap, gloves, scarf
Warm blanket, Comfortable, sturdy walking shoes, Prescription medications (if necessary), Food/snacks, Drinking water (opened bottles will not be permitted), Sunscreen, Torch, Camera, A small day pack may be useful to carry these items.
What NOT to bring
The following items are prohibited in the commemorative areas: large backpacks (eg luggage sized), camping equipment, opened bottles of liquids, alcohol*, flammable liquids, weapons or sharp objects, *Intoxicated persons will be refused entry. These items MUST be left on your coach/minibus. All visitors to the commemorative services are screened on entry to the sites, & all bags are searched.
Arriving at the commemorations
People generally travel to the Gallipoli Peninsula by coach or minibus as part of a tour group. People may travel to the commemorations in private motor vehicles. However, depending on the location of the parking area designated by Turkish authorities, visitors travelling by private vehicle may have to walk several kilometres along unlit or poorly lit roads before reaching the Anzac Commemorative Site.
Private vehicles are prohibited from travelling to the Lone Pine, 57th Regiment Memorial or Chunuk Bair commemorative sites.
Several kilometres from the Anzac Commemorative Site, coaches & their passengers are welcomed by a member of the visitor services team & issued with coach identification information – a Coach Identification Number & individual tags for each passenger with their coach number on it. This will help visitors to identify their coach at the end of the day.
Coaches set down their passengers at Beach Cemetery, which is about one kilometre (15 minutes walk on a graded dirt road) from the Anzac Commemorative Site where the Dawn Service is held. All visitors will pass through a security screening point before entering the site, then walk approximately half a kilometre to the ceremonial area.
When you disembark from your coach you must ensure that you have everything you will need during the evening & next day, including medication. To assist with security screening we suggest that keys, phones & coins are placed in your day pack or bag. You will not be able to go back to your coach if you forget anything or to return items that are prohibited on site. Coaches will depart the set down area after they have disembarked passengers & will not return to collect passengers until after all commemorative services are completed on the afternoon of 25 April.
Seating at the commemorative sites is available on grassed areas & in stands. Seating cannot be reserved. Once open on 24 April, the Anzac Commemorative Site fills quickly. People may end up sitting very close to each other &, if the site reaches capacity, people will be asked to stand. Large groups who arrive later may not be able to find room to be seated as a group & should be prepared to split up & stand if there are no seats available.
Weather
The weather in April can be warm during the day & extremely cold overnight (temperatures may be below 0 degrees celsius). Rain & very cold winds are possible. Visitors should ensure they are adequately equipped for these extremes by ensuring that they take appropriate warm & protective clothing. There is no shelter at any of the commemorative sites & visitors will be exposed to the weather for the entire period they are on site, which can be up to 24 hours. Large crowds, limited public utilities, & traffic & security arrangements can result in long waiting periods.
Getting about on the day
Each of the commemorative services is open to the public. Those attending the Dawn Service at the Anzac Commemorative Site may go on to attend the Australian Service at Lone Pine, the Turkish 57th Regiment Service at the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial or the New Zealand Service at Chunuk Bair. However, due to the walking distances & terrain between the commemorative sites & the number of visitors walking to each service it may not be possible to attend all four services.
Dawn Service to Lone Pine
From approximately 6:30am (after completion of the Dawn Service) visitors walk along the Anzac Cove Road & up Artillery Road to Lone Pine Cemetery for the 09:30am Australian Memorial Service. This 3.1km walk takes visitors past the Ari Burnu, Shrapnel Valley & Beach Cemeteries. Shortly after Beach Cemetery, the route follows Artillery Road inland as it slopes uphill past Shell Green Cemetery to Lone Pine. Artillery Road is a dirt road & is very steep & uneven in places. The road can be extremely difficult to walk. The route is well signposted. A moderate level of fitness is required. The walk to Lone Pine can be challenging & is very steep. ACS to Lone Pine is approximately 3km. Artillery road is 1.42km long, with a height gain of 118 meters. From Lone Pine to Chunuk Bair is another 3.3km uphill. If you are elderly or have a disability which may prevent you being able to make this climb you may be eligible for special needs assistance.
Lone Pine to Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial
After the conclusion of the service at Lone Pine at 10:00am, there is little time to walk from Lone Pine to the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial service, a distance of 1.2kms along an uphill bitumen road. The Turkish service starts at 10:00am, thirty minutes after the conclusion of the Lone Pine service.
Lone Pine to Chunuk Bair
The New Zealand Service at Chunuk Bair commences at 11:30pm. The route slopes uphill past the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial & is approximately 3.3kms. As you walk to Chunuk Bair, please respect the Turkish service in progress at the Turkish 57th Regiment Memorial. The walking time between Lone Pine & Chunuk Bair is approximately one hour & fifteen minutes.
Toilets
Permanent toilets are only available at the Kabatepe Museum, which is some distance from the commemorative sites. Temporary chemical toilets & hand washing facilities are available on 24 & 25 April at the Anzac Commemorative Site, Lone Pine & Chunuk Bair. The water at these locations is not potable & must not be used as drinking water.
Water & Power
There is no running water, power or lighting except for that in use for the services. Bottled water is available for purchase from Turkish vendors at each of the commemorative sites, but we do encourage you to bring your own. Opened bottles of liquid will not be allowed onto the site, including open water bottles.
Refreshments
Local Turkish food & drink vendors sell limited quantities of their products within the Gallipoli Park. Consuming alcohol within the National Park is not permitted. The ban on alcohol is strictly enforced – alcohol brought on site will be confiscated & intoxicated people will be denied entry.
Rubbish
Rubbish disposal facilities are provided & visitors are asked to dispose of rubbish thoughtfully or, where possible, take rubbish with them. All visitors to the Dawn Service are provided with a biodegradable rubbish bag (as part of an information kit). Additional rubbish bags are available from commemorative services staff.
Lost Property
If you lose or find property during the commemorations, please take it to the information tent & notify event staff. Following the commemorations, lost property enquiries can be directed to gallipoli@dva.gov.au. Property is only retained for a month & is held in Turkey. Arrangements for & costs of shipping are the responsibility of individuals claiming lost items.
Safety & security
The Australian & New Zealand Embassies in Ankara & the Australian Consulate in Canakkale work closely with Turkish authorities who are responsible for security for the commemorations. Security & crowd management measures include a ban on lighting fires, restrictions on entry points, individual searches & site security. Crowd control barriers are used as a means of directing public access & protecting the surrounding environment. You should follow instructions issued by Turkish security personnel. Allow sufficient time to travel between the commemorative sites including time to pass through each site’s security checkpoint. Visitors will most likely be separated into male & female lines to go through the security check-points for cultural & religious reasons. On passing the security check-point at the Anzac Commemorative Site, all visitors will be given a security wristband. This wristband MUST be worn on the wrist until you leave the Gallipoli Historical National Park at the conclusion of the services. Visitors will be screened again on entering the Lone Pine site for the Australian Service & Chunuk Bair for the New Zealand service. Security measures may be in place several days in advance of the services. Certain areas of the Anzac Commemorative Site (including the beach & ceremonial area) will be inaccessible to members the public for extended periods on 24 April & 25 April.
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