The Anzac Day Special to Waiouru

Start the Anzac Day commemorations differently by riding the mainline with Steam Incorporated on a train trip which includes entry to the National Army Museum at Waiouru. Our train will be hauled by two restored 1950’s DA diesel locomotives, and you will be riding in our set of restored 1930’s carriages.

The National Army Museum (Te Mata Toa) is the museum of the New Zealand Army. It was formerly known as the Queen Elizabeth II Army Memorial Museum. It is located on State Highway One on the southern side of the small Central Plateau town of Waiouru. The 1300 square metre museum is fortress-looking in design, complete with a bridge and moat. It took the 2nd Field Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Engineers (RNZE) 276 days to build and was opened in October 1978. The museum functions as a memorial to those who have fallen, to those who have served and are still serving, and to the battles fought by New Zealand soldiers. It is also a research, teaching and training facility of New Zealand's military history.

The museum offers a number of facilities and experiences which include a gift shop, the Mess Tent Café and the Tears on Greenstone Memorial (serves as a memorial for the 30,000 plus servicemen and women who have sacrificed their lives for their country). On display are many and varied collections, including military memorabilia & vehicles, exhibitions which mark anniversaries important in New Zealand's military history, a huge medal collection exhibiting medals associated with New Zealand and its army, and lifelike displays of twelve of the biggest campaigns that New Zealand troops have been involved in.