The Australian Nurses Memorial Centre Anzac commemorative service will commence at 2pm on Sunday 19 April 2026, at 431 St Kilda Road Melbourne.
There will be a wreath-laying ceremony followed by afternoon tea and a guest speaker. RSVP at the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre.
Instead of purchasing a wreath, attendees are asked to consider contributing a tax-deductible donation to the centre’s scholarship fund.
About the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre
The Australian Nurses Memorial Centre was founded in 1949 as a living memorial to the Australian nurses who died during WWII as well as those who survived years in POW camps. It does this by offering postgraduate scholarships for nurses and midwives, including two named for co-founders Vivian Bullwinkel and Betty Jeffrey.
Vivian, Betty and dozens of other nurses were evacuated from Singapore on the SS Vyner Brooke in February 1942. After their ship was sunk by Japanese bombs, Betty spent several days clinging to a life raft before reaching Sumatra and surrendering, while Vivian washed ashore on Bangka Island with 21 other nurses; she was the only survivor of the subsequent massacre. Both nurses spent the next three and half years as prisoners of war.
Vivian Bullwinkel (left) and Betty Jeffrey (right)
To see all the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre scholarships and find out how to apply, visit the Australian Nurses Memorial Centre.
