This dignified art deco memorial commemorates WWI soldiers of the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs). The interior dome is studded with 120,000 stars: one for each NSW soldier who served. These twinkle above Rayner Hoff’s poignant sculpture Sacrifice. The downstairs Hall of Service features names and soil samples of all the NSW places of origin of WWI soldiers. There's a daily 11am remembrance service here; alongside is a poignant exhibition with stories and artefacts of some of those who fought.

There's also a shop on the middle level, with an exhibition space. Pines at the southwestern entry grew from seeds gathered at Gallipoli in Turkey, the site of the Anzacs' most renowned WWI campaign. Near the memorial, a modern sculpture of bullets titled Yininmadyemi commemorates Aboriginal service personnel and the location of a former Gadigal ritual contest ground.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby City Centre & Haymarket attractions

1. Hyde Park

0.1 MILES

Formal but much-loved Hyde Park has manicured gardens and a tree-formed tunnel running down its spine, which looks particularly pretty at night,…

2. Australian Museum

0.16 MILES

Closed for renovation at the time of research, this wonderful institution plans to reopen in mid-2020. Australia's first museum was established just 40…

3. Great Synagogue

0.24 MILES

The heritage-listed Great Synagogue (1878) is the spiritual home of Sydney’s oldest Jewish congregation, established in 1831. It’s considered the Mother…

4. St Andrew’s Cathedral

0.29 MILES

Sporting beautiful stained glass and twin spires inspired by England’s York Minster, squat St Andrew’s Anglican is the oldest cathedral in Australia (1868…

5. Australian Centre for Photography

0.31 MILES

The nonprofit ACP exhibits photographic gems from renowned Sydney and international photographers. It’s particularly passionate about photomedia, video…

6. Sydney Town Hall

0.32 MILES

Mansard roofs, sandstone turrets, wrought-iron trimmings and over-the-top balustrades: the French Second Empire wedding-cake exterior of the Town Hall …

7. Archibald Memorial Fountain

0.34 MILES

Hyde Park’s northern end is crowned by this richly symbolic art-deco fountain, featuring Greek mythological figures.

8. St Mary’s Cathedral

0.34 MILES

Sydney has traditionally been quite a Catholic city, and this is the hub of the faith. Built to last, this 106m-long sandstone Gothic Revival–style…