The Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand (CFANZ) and its member organisations will commemorate the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete this year.
Below is the official program of commemorative events to be held in all states and territories of Australia as well as in New Zealand, commencing on Saturday 2 May 2026 and concluding on Saturday 13 June 2026.
From 4 May 2026 to 25 May 2026, a high-level delegation from the Hellenic Ministry of Defence will
take part in the commemorations.
The head of the delegation will be Lieutenant General (P) Konstantinos Bouzos Chief of Staff of the
Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS).
Accompanying him will be:
- Colonel Kyriakos Kyriakakos: Defence Attache of the Embassy of Greece in Canberra;
- First Lieutenant (ABDF) Eleni Theodorou: Head of the External Affairs Department of the Directorate of Public Relations at the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS); and
- Staff Officer Lamprini Kokkori: International Affairs Directorate of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS).
The delegation will travel to Brisbane, Wellington, Adelaide, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne before departing for Athens. During this time, they will attend a range of commemorative events, official visits and formal engagements marking this auspicious 85th anniversary.
85th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete National Commemorative Program:
Northern Territory:
- Saturday 2 May 2026
The Cretan Association of Northern Territory will host a commemorative Dinner Dance at the Greek Orthodox Community Hall, 92 Cavenagh Street, Darwin, commencing at 6:30pm.
- Sunday 31 May 2026
The Cretan Association of Northern Territory will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas, 90 Cavenagh Street, Darwin, commencing at 9:00am.
At 11:45am, the Cretan Association of Northern Territory will also host a wreath-laying ceremony at the Darwin Cenotaph War Memorial, Bicentennial Park, The Esplanade, Darwin City.
Queensland
- Wednesday 6 May 2026
The Cretan Association of Queensland and the Honorary Consulate General of Greece in Brisbane will host a Memorial Service and Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance, Anzac Square,
Brisbane City, commencing at 11:00am.
At 3:00pm, the Cretan Association of Queensland and the Honorary Consulate General of Greece in Brisbane will host a Battle of Crete Plaque Unveiling at the Holland Park – Mount Gravatt RSL Sub-Branch Shrine of Remembrance, 58 Arnold Street, Holland Park. Tea and coffee will be served following the unveiling at the RSL Sub-Branch Hall.
At 6:00pm, the Cretan Association of Queensland and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese – Diocese of Brisbane will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George, 29 Edmonstone Street, South Brisbane.
- Saturday 9 May 2026
The Cretan Association of Queensland will host a Battle of Crete Dinner Dance at the Mansfield Tavern, 181 Wecker Road, Mansfield, commencing at 6:30pm.
New Zealand
- Friday 8 May 2026
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand will host a Cocktail Reception at the Greek Orthodox
Archdiocese of New Zealand, 365 Broadway, Miramar, commencing at 5:00pm.
- Saturday 9 May 2026
The Cretans Association of New Zealand will host a Battle of Crete Dinner Dance at the Greek Orthodox Community Centre, 5 Hania Street, Wellington, commencing at 7:00pm.
- Sunday 10 May 2026
The Cretans Association of New Zealand, the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, 3 Hania Street, Wellington, commencing at 10:00am.
Immediately following the church service, the Cretans Association of New Zealand, the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand and the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Zealand will host a wreath-laying ceremony at the Greek–New Zealand Memorial, 61 Cambridge Terrace, Wellington.
Immediately following the wreath-laying ceremony, the Greek Orthodox Community of Wellington will host a Morning Tea at the Greek Orthodox Community Centre, 5 Hania Street, Wellington.
Western Australia
- Sunday 10 May 2026
The Cretan Brotherhood of Western Australia, the Consulate General of Greece in Perth and the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese – Holy Diocese of Perth will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady “Evangelismos”, at 57 Carr Street, West Perth, commencing at 10:00am.
At 12:00pm, the Cretan Brotherhood of Western Australia, the Consulate General of Greece in Perth and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese – Holy Diocese of Perth will also host a wreath-laying ceremony at the Battle of Crete War Memorial in Kings Park.
- Saturday 13 June 2026
The Cretan Brotherhood of Western Australia will host a Battle of Crete Dinner Dance at the Alexander the Great Club, 62 Alexander Drive, Inglewood, commencing at 6:30pm.
South Australia
- Tuesday 12 May 2026
The Cretan Association of South Australia and the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand
will host a wreath-laying ceremony at the War Memorial, Moseley Square, Glenelg, commencing at
4:00pm.
- Sunday 17 May 2026
The Cretan Association of South Australia, in conjunction with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese – Holy Diocese of Adelaide, will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Archiepiscopal Church of Saint Sophia (The Holy Wisdom), 100 Drayton Street, Bowden, commencing at 9:00am.
- Saturday 30 May 2026
The Cretan Association of South Australia will host a Battle of Crete Dinner Dance at the Cretan Association of South Australia Hall, 220 Port Road, Alberton, commencing at 6:30pm.
New South Wales
- Friday 15 May 2026
The Cretan Association of Sydney and New South Wales, in conjunction with the Consulate General of Greece in Sydney, will host a Battle of Crete Presentation and Cocktail Party at the Anzac Memorial, Hyde Park, Elizabeth Street, Sydney, commencing at 6:30pm.
- Saturday 16 May 2026
The Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign will host a
Memorial Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Cenotaph Monument, Martin Place, Sydney, commencing at
1:45pm.
At 7:00pm, the Cretan Association of Sydney and New South Wales will host its Battle of Crete Annual Ball at La Castelle Event Venue, Lopez Lane, Bankstown.
- Sunday 17 May 2026
The Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign, in conjunction with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, 242 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, commencing at 9:00am.
- Sunday 24 May 2026
The Joint Committee for the Commemoration of the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign will host a
Memorial Church Service at the Garrison Holy Trinity Anglican Church, 60 Lower Fort Street, Millers
Point, commencing at 11:00am.
Australian Capital Territory
- Tuesday 19 May 2026
The Royal Australian Mint, in conjunction with the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand,
will host the World War II – Battles of 1941 Commemorative Coin Launch at the Royal Australian
Mint, 62–114 Denison Street, Deakin, commencing at 10:00am.
- Wednesday 20 May 2026
The Embassy of Greece in Canberra, together with the Cretan Association of Canberra and Districts, will host the Battle of Crete and Greek Campaign Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Australian Hellenic War Memorial, Anzac Parade, Reid, commencing at 12:00pm.
Victoria
- Friday 22 May 2026
The Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and the Pancretan Association of Melbourne will host an Official ANZAC Commemorative Reception at Cretan Brotherhood House, 148–150 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East, commencing at 6:30pm.
- Saturday 23 May 2026
The Battle of Crete and Greece Commemorative Council will host an Official Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne, commencing at 11:30am.
At 12:30pm, the Battle of Crete and Greece Commemorative Council will also host a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian Hellenic War Memorial, Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne.
At 6:30pm, the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and the Pancretan Association of Melbourne will host the annual Battle of Crete Dinner Dance at Cretan Village, 90 Cathies Lane, Wantirna South.
- Sunday 24 May 2026
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese – Holy Diocese of Chora, in conjunction with the Battle of Crete and Greece Commemorative Council, will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Our Lady “Axion Estin”, 7 Hartington Street, Northcote, commencing at 9:30am.
Tasmania
- Sunday 31 May 2026
The Cretan Association of Tasmania, in conjunction with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, will host a Memorial Church Service and Doxology at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, 50 Warwick
Street, Hobart, commencing at 9:00am.
At 2:30pm, the Cretan Association of Tasmania will host a wreath-laying ceremony at the Hobart
Cenotaph, Anzac Parade, Queens Domain.
Immediately following the wreath-laying ceremony, the Cretan Association of Tasmania will
host a Battle of Crete Reception at Hellenic House, 67 Federal Street, North Hobart.
