When dawn breaks and the Last Post echoes through the crisp Gallipoli Peninsula air on April 25 next year, Narrabri couple Kris and Belinda Symons will be flooded with emotion.
They will be among the 8000 lucky Australians who were pulled out of a ballot to attend the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing at a special ceremony on the Turkey shores.
Guests will arrive the night before and will face bitterly cold overnight temperatures and a scorching daytime.
They’ll also sleep upright and outdoor in their allocated seats, but Kris and Belinda don’t mind at all.
They’re thrilled to be among the lucky few who will be in Gallipoli to honour the gallant sacrifices made by thousands of Australians in World War I.
Kris visited the peninsula during a tour a decade ago and he’s wanted to return ever since to witness an Anzac Day ceremony.
“Even going there with nothing happening, it’s an incredibly emotional place,” he said.
“You can see spent cartridges and how close the trenches are.”
He says it’s a special place for all Australians.
“It’s an amazing feeling that comes over you,” he added.
Kris and Belinda entered their names in the ballot two days before it closed and were notified by mail that Belinda had been unsuccessful, but that Kris was picked.
The successful candidates can take a guest.
More than 42,000 people entered the federally administered ballot, which aimed to limit attendance at the ceremony to 10,500, as set by the Turkish government.
The breakdown includes 8000 Australians, 200 New Zealanders, and 500 representatives from official guest nations involved in the Gallipoli campaign, including 250 places for Turkey.
Kris and Belinda are planning a three-week holiday in Turkey to coincide with the Anzac service, while their daughters, four-year-old Coco and three-year-old Poppy, will spend some quality time with family in Australia.