Sir John Monash Centre
Australian involvement on the Western Front
Australia’s most significant contribution to victory in the First World War was
made on the Western Front in France and Belgium between 1916 and 1918.
More than 295,000 Australians served on the Front, 47,000 lost their lives and
another 130,000 were wounded.
In the words of Professor Robin Prior, it’s the only time when our forces have
engaged the main enemy on the main battlefront and made an appreciable
difference to the outcome.
Sir John Monash Centre
This international standard interpretive centre, designed by Cox Architecture
(a Sydney led international firm) will be built to the rear of the Australian
National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux (actually located in Fouilloy).
The heart of the Centre will be a leading-edge integrated multimedia
experience (delivered by Convergence Associates, a Melbourne based
company) that provides an evocative, emotional, informative and educational
experience for visitors of all nationalities.
The Centre has the strong support of local, regional and national French
authorities.
The Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux bears the names of
over 10,700 Australians who died in France in the First World War and who
have no known grave. The 27 ‘Battle Exploits’ recorded on the Memorial
represent the greatest achievements of Australians on the Western Front as
decided by Australian veterans of the First World War.
Locating the interpretive centre at the site of a national memorial is also
consistent with the approach taken by Britain, Canada and South Africa.
When complete, the Sir John Monash Centre will educate a new audience
about Australia’s early role in international affairs, reshape patterns of
visitation of the battlefields and in so doing, provide a lasting international
legacy from the Centenary of Anzac.
Sir John Monash
General Sir John Monash led the Australian Corps with outstanding success
through much of 1918. An innovative tactician and meticulous planner, his
famous 4 July 1918 victory at Le Hamel became the template for the much
larger operations that followed.
Australian Remembrance Trail
The Centre will be the central point, the anchor, of the existing Australian
Remembrance Trail (the Trail) on the Western Front. The Trail, developed in
partnership with French and Belgian local, and regional authorities, links First
World War sites of significance to Australia, including museums, battlefields,
memorials, and cemeteries. It is supported by extensive web based
resources.
Fast Facts
Sir John Monash Centre

Designed by Cox Architecture.

Approximately 1,000 square metres with an interpretive area of 483
square metres.

The building design will be half sunken into the ground with a turf roof.

Work will commence in January 2016 and the Centre will be open by
Anzac Day 2018.

The Centre will have an integrated multimedia experience that will
provide a compelling story of Australia’s service on the Western Front.
Australian Remembrance Trail sites

Ieper (Ypres), Belgium

Zonnebeke/Passchendaele, Belgium

Ploegsteert, Belgium

Fromelles, France

Bullecourt, France

Pozières, France

Villers-Bretonneux, France

Le Hamel, France

Péronne/Mont St Quentin, France
More information

Australian Remembrance Trail along the Western Front:
www.ww1westernfront.gov.au www.dva.gov.au/art.htm

Anzac Day commemorations: www.dva.gov.au/france
www.dva.gov.au/belgium