Anzac Day, observed every April 25, is Australia and New Zealand’s most solemn national day of remembrance. In 2026, April 25 falls on a Saturday, and it is a public holiday in every Australian state and territory. The day commemorates the 1915 landing at Gallipoli in World War I, where Australian and New Zealand Army Corps troops suffered devastating losses. More than a century later, the dawn services, marches, and the phrase Lest we forget remain central to how both nations understand themselves.
Gallipoli, 1915
At dawn on April 25, 1915, Australian and New Zealand troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in Ottoman Turkey as part of an Allied campaign to knock Turkey out of World War I. The landing went badly wrong: troops came ashore at the wrong beach beneath steep cliffs held by well-prepared Turkish defenders. What was meant to be a swift operation became an eight-month stalemate of trench warfare, ending in evacuation. More than 8,700 Australians and 2,700 New Zealanders died. The campaign was a military failure, yet the courage and endurance of the Anzacs became legendary, forging a national identity distinct from Britain for both young nations. The Turkish commander Mustafa Kemal, later Ataturk, earned his own immortality there, and his gracious words to Anzac mothers are inscribed at memorials in both countries.
Dawn Services and Marches
Anzac Day begins before sunrise. Dawn services are held at war memorials in every city and town, recreating the moment of the landing. The service follows a ritual order: hymns, prayers, the laying of wreaths, the Last Post played on a lone bugle, a minute of silence, and then Reveille. The Ode of Remembrance is recited, ending with the response Lest we forget. Later in the morning, veterans, current service members, and descendants march through city centers while crowds line the streets in respectful silence. In the afternoon, many veterans gather for games of two-up, a traditional gambling game played with pennies, which is legal only on Anzac Day in most states. In 2026, with April 25 on a Saturday, attendance at dawn services is expected to be especially large.
A Day Bigger Than Its Origins
Though born at Gallipoli, Anzac Day now honors all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in every conflict, from World War II and Vietnam to Afghanistan. In recent decades, observance has grown enormously, with young people attending in record numbers, a trend historians attribute to a search for meaning and national story. Indigenous service members, long overlooked, are increasingly recognized. The day also acknowledges the Turkish perspective with unusual generosity: Ataturk’s 1934 tribute to the Anzac dead is read at services, a gesture of reconciliation rare in war remembrance anywhere in the world.
Holiday Status and Practical Notes
Anzac Day is a national public holiday, and in 2026 it falls on Saturday, April 25. Trading restrictions apply in the morning in most states: shops, pubs, and betting venues must remain closed until afternoon, typically 1 p.m., out of respect for the dawn services and marches. Government offices and banks close. Visitors are welcome at dawn services, which are free and open to all; arrive well before dawn, dress warmly for the April chill, and maintain silence during the service. It is a privilege to witness, and one of the most moving public rituals in the English-speaking world.