Prime Minister Julia Gillard and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of Anzac, Warren Snowdon, today announced $27 million for the refurbishment of the First World War galleries at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Speaking at the Australian War Memorial, the Prime Minister said the site was a very special place for Australians to come and remember the many thousands of soldiers who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
We want to upgrade this gallery, so visiting Australians can say, with full appreciation and gratitude - we will remember them.
Today not a single Gallipoli veteran remains. Those who survived the Turkish guns have been claimed by time, and this epic wartime story now belongs to the ages.
But Anzac is no myth, and we want to make sure our record of this battle stands the test of time for generations of Australians to come.
Minister for Veterans' Affairs Warren Snowdon said the refurbished exhibition would be visited by around 850,000 people from around Australia and the world each year.
The refurbishment of the First World War galleries will help generations of Australians learn about our nation's involvement in the First World War, the significant battles and to see first hand the equipment, aircraft and weaponry they used.
The upgrade will also introduce new technologies to the galleries providing new ways to illustrate the courageous battles our soldiers fought.
The refurbishment of the First World War galleries will be a fitting tribute to the 400,000 Australians who served in the First World War and the more than 60,000 who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
The upgrade will be completed in time for the Anzac Centenary in 2015.