Located on the headland above Tarakena Bay between Lyall Bay and Seatoun, Wellington it commands views of the South Coast of the North Island, The Cook Straits and on a good day The South Island.
The site was chosen for its likeness to the area of the Gallipoli Peninsula and the memorial was part of agreement between the governments of Turkey,New Zealand and Australia.In return the Gallipoli peninsula was renamed Anzac Cove from Ari Burnu and they built a large memorial in memory of the troops from New Zealand and Australia who died during the Gallipoli Campaign in 1915 as part of WW1.
As part of the agreement New Zealand built The Ataturk Memorial and Australia built a memorial in Canberra.Both are in memory to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk who was a divisional commander at Gallipoli and later became the first president of the modern Turkey.
The memorial was unveiled on Anzac Day 1990 by the Turkish Minister of Agriculture.It was designed by Ian Bowman. Within the memorial there is a bust of Ataturk, a crescent made of marble and underneath is soil from Anzac Cove.
As part of additional work a paved area and path was built in 1999 and a parking area on the coast road. These were paid for by the Turkish Government.
Each year the text below is read out every year by the Turkish Ambassador on Anzac Day at the National War Memorial, Wellington. It is also inscribed on the memorial.
Those heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives, you are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours. You, the mothers who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears, your sons are now lying in our bosoms and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they become our sons as well.
Each Anzac Day a wreath laying service is held at the memorial.Also the Wellington Company of the Wellington and Hawke’s Bay Battalion Group also holds a wreath laying service to commemorate the Battle for Chunuk Bair.
The memorial and the Rangitatau Reserve is maintained by the Wellington City Council.
WildBay 