New Parade Ground at the Australian War Memorial

The new parade ground at the Australian War Memorial is ready for Anzac Day. AWM Director Matt Anderson explains what's new.

Transcript

00:00 Well the most important aspect that will be available for Anzac Day this year is an enlarged

00:05 parade ground.

00:06 You know, those who are in the military tell me that what they appreciate is a large sort

00:12 of rectangular or square parade ground so that they can actually conduct their drill

00:17 appropriately and that was a bit of a challenge in the rather odd shaped previous parade ground.

00:22 But what's also different is the space that's available for us to commemorate.

00:26 You know, we now have, without having to bump in any infrastructure, the ability to sit

00:32 4,400 people comfortably to witness what's taking place on the parade ground, to attend

00:37 commemorations, to ascend ceremonies, to attend events.

00:40 That's what's different is fundamentally it's opened the space up, it's built in dedicated

00:45 and terrace seating for 4,400 people.

00:50 But of course this site isn't finished.

00:52 We still have to relocate the Stone of Remembrance and the Stone of Remembrance is currently

00:58 sitting in the commemorative gardens of the Australian War Memorial and that will be the

01:02 feature for this year's dawn service and the Veterans March will take place here on the

01:07 parade ground.

01:08 In 2025 we'll have both.

01:10 It'll be a dawn service here and the Veterans March next year so we're very excited about

01:14 that.

01:14 [BLANK_AUDIO]