'Spirit of Anzac' Arrives in Newcastle

BY SARAH JAMES

A piece of history has come to the Hunter today, with the opening of the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience at Newcastle Entertainment Centre.

The week-long exhibition will display more than 200 artefacts from the Australian War Memorial, showcasing Australia's extensive involvement in World War I and how the war impacted the nation on the home front.

Newcastle marks the 22nd stop on the Exhibition's national tour. There has been a huge public response, with more than 24 000 people already registered to attend.

Major General (Retired) Brian Dawson said attending the event is a way to commemorate those who fought for Australia and lost their lives.

"Over sixty thousand Australians were killed in the First World War...and there wasn't a family who wasn't affected in some way," he said.

"This is a story which is part of the Australia story, and somehow affects us all even 100 years later."