On the 25th June, 26 of our members travelled to Caufield then changed trains to go to Anzac Station where we visited The Shrine of Remembrance. Even though Pauline suggested for us to travel in the first carriages somehow, we all ended up through different parts of the train, but we all managed to meet up and make our way to the Shrine.
Blake was our guide and was very informative taking us through the main part of the Shrine and then down into the Crypt and the Museum. He explained how the Shrine was designed by 2 Melbourne Architects by the name of Philip Hudson and James Wardrop who won the contract out of 83 submissions. Construction started in 1927 and was completed in 1934. The Shrine was opened and dedicated to our armed servicemen and women on Armistice Day November 11th 1934. The Shrine has had extensions added to it but the original design has not been touched. The design was modelled on the classic styles of the Parthenon in Athens and the Tomb of Mausolus.
After completing the tour we all went to the café where we had lunch and then went our separate ways and explored the Shrine and the Museum, which showed you the history of the wars a little more. The tour was thoroughly enjoyable but very moving, it’s hard to see the trials and tribulations of the men and women who fought to protect our country and make it such a great place to live and bring up our children.
Thankyou to Pauline for organising such a great tour.
Faye Wegat June 2026
The Landing: On the morning of the Gallipoli landings, this boat, The Divanha ferried men from the 12th Battalion, the 3rd Field Ambulance, and the 3rd Infantry Brigade Headquarters from destroyers out at sea to the shores of Anzac Cove.
Under Fire: It was rowed the final 200 meters to the beach directly under heavy Turkish machine-gun fire.
Historical Significance: Following the first day of fighting, it was left on the beach, used to ferry the wounded to hospital ships, and eventually brought to Australia in 1921 after being identified for the national collection.