Achievements

In 1997, the Turkish Australian Culture House Inc. initiated a project to erect a memorial to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in Albany, Western Australia. The project spanned five years from 1997 to 2002, when the life-sized statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk was officially unveiled on the 1st of November, overlooking "Ataturk's Channel," also known as "Ataturk's Entrance", the water­way between King George Sound and the Port of Albany.

The memorial was commissioned by the Turkish Australian Culture House Inc. and designed by Burhan Alkar. It was officially opened by Federal Minister Wilson Tuckey and the Turkish Ambassador Tansu Okandan. The ceremony was attended by the Turkish Consul General Dr. Cahit Yesertener and the TACH President Dr. Halit Eren and over a hundred Turkish community members.

The total cost of the project was $140,000, with land and landscaping provided by the City of Albany, and the monument, statue and plaque, funded by the Republic of Turkey. The project spanned five years from 1997 to 2002.

On the 25 of April 2003 (ANZAC Day), a ceremony was held in Albany, to celebrate the sister-cityship of Albany and Gallipoli. In attendance was the Mayor of Gallipoli, Cihat Bingol, and Lord Mayor of Albany Alison Goode.

Access to the memorial is from the beachside at Ellen Cove Boardwalk at Middleton or by walking along Stirling Terrace from the central business district (a three-kilometre trip one way).

Statue of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Albany Western Australia

During WWI, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli peninsula. The campaign was intended to force Turkey out of the war. On the morning of 25 April 1915, the Anzacs landed on Gallipoli and met fierce resistance from the Ottoman Turkish defenders. Eight months of fighting ensued, with heavy casualties on both sides, and at the end of 1915 the allied forces were evacuated. It is estimated that the Allies had over 250,000 casualties, including some 46,000 dead, of these were 8700 Australians. On the Turkish side, there was an estimated 250,000 casualties, with 65,000 killed.

Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who was a commander of Ottoman forces at the Dardenelles during the first world war and later the founder of modern Turkey, delivered the following message to the Australian and New Zealander mothers in 1934 as an expression of friendship:

“Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears. Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”

In 2007, TACH, with support of the Turkish RSL Sub-Branch, began a 3-year project to place a commemorative plaque in Kings Park containing Ataturk’s words about ANZAC Soldiers. Funding of $7,464 for the plaque was received from the Western Australian Government's ANZAC Day Working Group Small Grants Scheme.

The plaque was officially unveiled by Mayor of Gallipoli, Mr Mustafa Ozacar on the 26th of April 2010. In attendance was RSLWA President Bill Gaynor, Digger Cleak OAM, TACH President Cüneyt Mizan, Hon. Consul General of Turkey in WA Cahit Yeşertener, Turkish RSL Sub-Branch President Dr. Halit Eren, and many members of the Turkish community.

Today you can visit the plaque, which is located on the perimeter of the WA State War Memorial in Kings Park, overlooking Perth city and the Swan River.

Ataturk Commemorative Plaque at Kings Park, Perth WA

Austal Ships Open Day 2006

On Saturday, February 24th 2006, the Turkish Australian Culture House Inc. participated in Austral Ship’s “Staff Open Day”, to celebrate the completion of the ship “Osman Gazi –1”, built for Istanbul Deniz Otobusleri (IDO). The 88-metre aluminium catamaran was the ninth-fast ferry Austal had built to date.

TACH provided cultural displays and food stalls on the day to give Austal Ship’s employees a taste of Turkish culture and food. The day was a great success and we received many compliments from Austal Ships employees and marketing department.

Harmony Week Participation 2007

TACH participated in Harmony Week Celebrations on Saturday,18th March 2007 in World Village at Hyde Park. A small marque (3mx3m) was allocated to TACH which we decorated with posters, brochures, flags and balloons supplied by Turkish Consulate of WA.

Four of our members attended the marquee ensuring all queries related to our mission, culture and country were answered.

Turkish and ANZAC ties, the screening of the film “Gallipoli” and TACH’s involvement in ANZAC Peace Park project in Albany were explained to the public and were received with great interest.

Turkish pastries and various drinks were available to public at a cost price which kept everyone happy and cool on such a hot and active day.

Overall, the feedback from the members of the public revealed that it was a very informative stall and they were surprised to see the number and nature of the activities in which Turkish Australian Culture House Inc. was involved.

Grant received Office of Multicultural Interests small grants.

Folk Dance Costume Grant & Purchase 1997

In 1997, a grant application was approved from LotteryWest (then Lotteries Western Australia) for $2,541.00 to purchase costumes, as well as $3,300 for a photocopier for the Turkish school.

TACH purchased 12 Artvin, Elazig, and Gazi Antep costumes from Turkey, totalling AUD$2065 plus shipping, or $415,000,000TL.

The costume quotes and acceptances were provided by fax and hand-written letters, with TACH arranging payment by international transfer. TACH management committee members picked up the costumes from Ankara arranged for the costumes to be flown as cargo from Turkey on Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines, arriving in Perth on the 1st of September 1997.

The Folk Dance costumes have been in use for over 20 years in various TACH Folk Dance performances and are still used today.

Our teacher Cahit Yesertener has been performing and leading Folk Dance in Perth since 1997. Among the performances he has prepared students for are the Australia Day performance of 1999 in front of 15,000 spectators in the Perth Entertainment Centre, performances at Turkish Gala Balls, the Araluen Tulip Festival of 2014 which attracted over 40,000 visitors and various other community festivals.