Aussies bring in Australia Day at Gallipoli just three months before 100th anniversary

A small group of young Australians have watched Australia Day dawn at one of Australia’s most sacred sites, Gallipoli.

The group included a number of Turkish-born Australians that have spent the past week retracing the footsteps of the Anzacs.

Today Lone Pine was almost deserted but in just under three months time, thousands of people will converge there to mark the 100^th anniversary of the failed campaign that’s credited with helping to forge the Australian identity.

Retired Major General Jim Molan said the significance of the battle should not be downplayed.

“We can criticise it by saying it was futile in the end, it was badly handled, but myths and legends are very, very important,” he said.