On November 30, 2023, then-Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced the eight recipients of the 2024 Premier’s Anzac Prize.
Recognising the efforts and dedication of young Queenslanders, eight students were selected as Prize recipients. They, as well as two teacher chaperones from across the state, will head to Europe this year, visiting WWI and WWII sites and attending the Anzac Dawn service at the Australian War Memorial in France.
They will also travel to Belgium and the UK to explore the Anzac legacy.
The 2024 Prize is sponsored by RSL Queensland and is partnered with the State Library of Queensland.
The tour provides an opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the Anzac legacy. The prize includes workshops in the months leading up to the once-in-a-lifetime adventure in collaboration with the State Library of Queensland.
A total of 136 students have been awarded the prize since it began in 2013.
Ms Palaszczuk said “Experiencing these historical sites firsthand allows the students to immerse themselves in the Anzac tradition, and upon their return they serve as ambassadors for the Anzac legacy within their school communities.”
The then- Assistant Minister to the Premier for Veterans’ Affairs, Bart Mellish, chaperoned the 2023 ANZAC Prize winners on their trip; Forest Lake High School student Nooria Ahmadi was one of the eight selected to attend that trip..
Mr Mellish said he was proud to see the prize awarded again in 2024.
“One of the most striking experiences was the dawn service at Villers-Bretonneux, a truly humbling event which also showed the deep bonds between Australians and the French people which go back over 100 years.”
“This opportunity for young Queenslanders to learn and experience what our ANZACs went through all those years ago and become ambassadors of the ANZAC spirit on their return, really is once-in-a-lifetime.
“As Assistant Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and a strong advocate for honouring our vets, I’m proud to see the prize awarded for another year.”
RSL Queensland State President, Major General Stephen Day DSC AM, said the award was a great way to pass an appreciation of war veterans to young Australians.
“It’s important that we pass on to young Australians the story of how veterans contributed to making Australia what it is today,” he said.
“The prize is an opportunity for some of our brightest high school students to get out of the classroom, travel to the Western Front and gain a more profound understanding of the commitment and sacrifices of their veterans.
“With the ANZAC Spirit forged more than a century ago, this unique pilgrimage provides students with a once-in-a-lifetime trip to learn how and why the ANZACs had such an impact on building the Australia they know today.”
Forest Lake RSL sub-branch social activities – February and March 2024.
The sub-branch will be hosting two BBQ’s on February 3 and March 2, starting at 11am at the Clubhouse.
New members are always welcome to come along. The event will be located at RSL House, 907-915 Boundary Road (entry via Nasho Place) in Wacol.
