Spirit of Anzac Exhibition attended by thousands on the first day

The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience was officially launched today (Monday) after more than 3,000 people streamed through the doors yesterday.

The Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience, the Australian War Memorial's largest free travelling exhibition featuring more than 200 artefacts on display, is in Orange for six days at the Orange Indoor Tennis Centre from 12 – 17 March 2017.

The exhibition was officially launched by Member for Orange Andrew Gee with Orange councillors, John Davis OAM, Chris Gryllis, Ron Gander and Kevin Duffy in attendance.

Mayor Davis said Orange was incredibly lucky to have secured such a huge exhibition and he intended to bring his family to see it in the coming days.

"Everyone should spend the time and come and see this wonderful exhibition," Cr Davis said.

"I've spoken to a few people who came to the exhibition yesterday (Sunday) and by all accounts they were impressed.

"It's interactive, there plenty of things to move and look through and the audio guide is a great idea."

Visitors have their own personal audio guide, which through headphones, tells a story on each section of the exhibition.

At the end of the tour, there is a section dedicated to local history put together by council's library and museum staff.

There are moving images of soldiers who joined the call-to-arms during the Coo-ee March as it passed through Orange in October 1915 as well as photographs and stories of both well-known and not-so-well-known local soldiers and nurses such as Nellie Leake, Ernest Lachland Powter, Bernard Ambrose Cotye.

The selection of objects includes :

• a telegram notifying the next of kin of the death of their brother (James J Paton),
• medals awarded to a local doctor, Major A.E. Colvin,
• original portraits of two young men: Herbert Rockliff, and Claude John Ash – these portraits were either taken prior to their embarkation as a memento for their families, or created by their loved ones as a memorial following their death.

On Sunday, more than 3,000 people walked through the site, and more than 10,000 have booked their free tickets for sessions throughout the week.

EXPERIENCE: Councillors Kevin Duffy and John Davis at the official launch of the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience.