Stormy weather greets Gallipoli visitors

Thunder, lightning and rain are greeting Australians and New Zealanders as they troop in to the Anzac commemoration site on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

A stormy downpour started at around 7.30pm local time on Sunday as those attending Monday's dawn service made their way to the North Beach site where open-air seating awaited them.

Numbers are expected to be well down on last year's centenary commemorations with one estimate putting the expected crowd at only around 1000.

Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan is Australia's senior representative at this year's service.