Australians come together to commemorate those who have served our nation and its allies in wars, conflicts and peace operations.
National commemorative program
The Australian Government leads national services and activities each year to commemorate some of the most significant moments in our military history. Some dates remain constant, such as Anzac Day and Remembrance Day. Others are commemorated on significant anniversaries, such as the 25th, 50th, 75th and 100th.
Our commemorations provide recognition, respect and acknowledgement to all Australian veterans. This supports the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) objectives relating to veteran health and wellbeing.
DVA also undertakes domestic and overseas commemorative activities to give the Australian community opportunities to reflect on the roles that many Australians have played in wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations since Federation.
Commemorative dates
Australia's calendar of remembrance includes officially gazetted days proclaimed by the Governor-General. These dates are formally recognised by the Australian Government, the most well-known of which is Anzac Day.
Here we've listed those gazetted days and some others that your community may wish to commemorate. This is not a complete list of dates, and days may change depending on the anniversaries commemorated each year.
19 February Bombing of Darwin Day
25 April Anzac Day*
8 May Victory in Europe (VE) Day
27 July Korean Veterans' Day
15 August Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day
18 August Vietnam Veterans' Day
31 August Malaya and Borneo Veterans' Day
3 September Merchant Navy Day
1st Wednesday of September Battle for Australia Day
14 September National Peacekeepers' Day
11 November Remembrance Day
* Anzac Day is gazetted in the Anzac Day Act 1995 as a national event to recognise and commemorate the contribution of all those who have served Australia (including those who died) in time of war and in war‑like conflicts.
Other significant anniversaries
Many other anniversaries are recognised by ex-service organisations, veterans' groups, military formations and unit associations. They are important to veterans and help us to remember important episodes in Australia's past.
If you'd like to check the dates of significant battles and military events in Australian history, we recommend consulting:
- Australia's official war histories
- Coulthard-Clark, Chris. 2010. The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest.
Local commemorations
If you'd like to commemorate an event or a particular service in your community, find out about: