It was on the 5th of August, 1914, that the residents of Kiama would be met with the headline 'How the war came'. This Kiama Independent article officially announcing the start of World War 1, at this point in time no-one could predict the devastation that would occur over the next four years, nor the lives that they would take. The article claiming that the fires of war had been stoked by German militarism and aggression, the Great War, now known as World War 1, would leave a irrevocable mark on the township of Kiama.
Kiama Library acts as the start of our story. Set between 1914 to 1919, the goal of this tour is to explore Kiama through the lens of the ANZACs. Going over their recruitment, training, stories and support they received from home, this tour hopes to provide a glimpse of Kiama’s past and recount the stories of those who called it home.
Participants should be aware that this tour contains images and documentation relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are deceased.