Australia and New Zealand's most solemn national day commemorates the Gallipoli landings of 1915. The dawn service at Sydney's Martin Place or at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra draws tens of thousands in the dark before sunrise. The Last Post, the minute's silence, the rising sun — it's genuinely moving. By midday the tone shifts: the traditional two-up (an old gambling game legal only on this day) takes over pubs across the country, and the rest of the day becomes a celebration of Australian culture and national identity.
The dawn service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra is the national focal point. Sydney's Martin Place is the largest city ceremony. Arrive 90 minutes before dawn for a good position.