GALLIPOLI 2015 NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2015
With less than two months until Anzac Day, we hope your preparations are going well. In this
newsletter, we will address questions regarding the commemorations, travelling to Gallipoli
and scenarios you may encounter on the 24th and 25th of April.
Can I Take Souvenirs from Gallipoli?
Gallipoli is an historical national park, and thousands of people from many nations, including
Turkey, are buried in mostly unmarked graves. The entire area was a battlefield and is now
essentially a cemetery administered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and
Turkish authorities.
From time to time, due to weather and erosion, relics from the battle and remains of those
who died become visible. If you stumble across anything of this nature, such as bones, or
bullet or shell casings, do not remove them from their resting place. The taking of any
relic of the Gallipoli Campaign from the Peninsula, as a souvenir, is strictly prohibited under
Turkish law.
Please be respectful of the battlefields, the cemeteries, and those who still lie there, during
your time on the Gallipoli Peninsula. If you want souvenirs, support the local economy by
purchasing them.
Gallipoli 2015 Text Messaging Service
During April we will be sending text messages to attendance pass holders with information
regarding the commemorations. These messages will be sent to the mobile phone number
you uploaded in your online account. If you will be using a different mobile number while in
Turkey, you can update your mobile phone details via your online account to ensure you
receive these messages.
Register on SafeTravel
If you register your travel plans at www.safetravel.govt.nz, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
can alert you to changes in the official New Zealand travel advice for any countries you will
be visiting, including Turkey. Registering your details will also help us know where to find you
and how to contact you in the event of a crisis situation. Please take the time to do this
before you leave New Zealand.
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Ngā Tapuwae New Zealand First World War Trails
To commemorate the centenary of the First World War the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
has developed the Ngā Tapuwae New Zealand First World War Trails. The guide will include
three walking trails and two driving trails at Gallipoli. It also includes audio descriptions of
events at key locations, maps, pictures, and further information about notable figures and
battles in the Gallipoli Campaign. The Ngā Tapuwae app will be available for free download
onto iPad, iPhone and Android devices from March 2015.
What to Do Before You Leave Home
You might find the following checklist helpful:
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If you are not travelling on a New Zealand passport, organise a Visa for Turkey via
www.evisa.gov.tr
Register your travel at www.safetravel.govt.nz
Make sure you have a doctor’s note for any prescription medication/medical aids you
are taking with you
Arrange travel insurance for your trip
Ensure you have local currency (the food vendors at the commemorative sites only
accept cash, i.e.Turkish Lira)
Pack the appropriate gear for Gallipoli, including rain jacket and pants, thermals and
a small first aid kit
Passports
From 1 January 2015, foreigners wishing to enter Turkey must carry a passport or travel
document with an expiration date of at least 60 days beyond the date of expiration of their
visa, visa exemption or residence permit. If you are travelling on a New Zealand passport
you do not need a Visa to enter Turkey – so this means that your passport must have at least
60 days validity remaining beyond the date you intend to leave Turkey.
If your passport does not have sufficient validity and you have not renewed it yet, you will
need to renew it prior to travel and bring both your renewed passport and your old passport
with you to Gallipoli. Attendance passes will be printed with the passport details you provided
in your online account, so to enter the site you must show the passport that matches the
number on your attendance pass.
Postage of Attendance Passes
Attendance passes are being printed this month and will be posted out in early March to the
address you provided in your online account. We expect the passes to arrive at their
destinations by mid-March at the latest. An information booklet will also be posted with the
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attendance passes, which will provide you with information regarding what to do prior to
departure for Turkey, and what to expect once you arrive at Gallipoli. If your attendance
passes have incorrect information on them, please email us.
Attendance Pass Pickup in Turkey
For those of you who are leaving home before mid-March, there will be a pick up point in
Turkey where you can collect your attendance passes. The pick up point is in a hotel in the
town of Eceabat, on the Gallipoli Peninsula:
Villa Bagci Pansiyon
Ismetpasa Mahallesi
Agaderesi Sokak, No:4,
Eceabat 17900
Turkey
Attendance pass pick up times are daily from the 20th to the 23rd of April, 9.00am – 11.00am,
and 3.00pm – 5.00pm. Your attendance passes will be available at this pick up point on proof
of identification of the main pass holder (please make sure you bring your passport).
If you are unable to collect your attendance passes from the above pick up point, they will be
made available as you come through the security checkpoint at Kabatepe Otopark on 24th
April, on proof of identification of the main pass holder (please make sure you bring your
passport).
Your Health and Safety at Gallipoli
The health and safety of everyone who will be at Gallipoli for the Anzac Day
commemorations is a high priority. Because resources are limited on the Peninsula, it is
important you come prepared for the conditions and bring any medication or medical aids
you may require. It is also important to exercise common sense while at Gallipoli; if anything
feels unsafe or you feel unwell, don’t push yourself or try anything that could put yourself and
others in harm’s way.
Children and Infants at Gallipoli
If you are considering taking children or infants to the Anzac Day commemorations at
Gallipoli, please consider how well they would cope with the travel and environmental
conditions, including overnighting in the open. There are only limited toilet facilities, with no
infant changing facilities. Infants aged two years and under must sit on the lap of an
attendance pass holder. Buggies and collapsible prams are permitted onsite, and if you bring
one you will have to push it the entire way to Chunuk Bair following the Dawn Service. There
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are limitations as to the size of what you try to bring into the commemorative sites, so you
must plan what you will bring in your packs carefully in order to keep you and your child safe
and comfortable. Because of the overnight programme on the 24th – 25th of April, there will be
little opportunity for anyone to sleep, including children and infants.
If you are taking a child under the age of two years old, they will need a special infant
attendance pass in addition to the two attendance passes you received in the ballot. Please
email us with the name, date of birth, and passport details of your child, as there is no
section in your online account to add this information. Ticketek will print and post your
infant’s pass with your two attendance passes. If you have a child aged over two years old,
the child requires the accompanying person pass you have already been allocated to attend
the commemorations.
If you have any questions regarding children and infants, please email us.