Turkish Ambassador visits Maryborough

The Turkish Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Korhan Karakoc, and his wife Swetnava made an official visit to Maryborough today (Friday, April 22).

They were accompanied by Queensland Turkish Consul Turgut Manli, who donated the sculpted profile of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk to the Fraser Coast after the opening of the Gallipoli to Armistice memorial trail in Queen’s Park 2018.

Mr Karakoc is making his first official visit to Queensland this week and detoured to Maryborough after engagements in Brisbane.

The Turkish VIP party took a guided tour of the Gallipoli to Armistice memorial which included a viewing of the Ataturk plinth. The tour was followed by a tree planting and a visit to the military museum.

President of the Gallipoli to Armistice Committee Nancy Bates said the ambassadorial visit was a great honour for Maryborough and was the result of links that had been forged with Turkey following the opening of the Gallipoli to Armistice memorial.

“Within the memorial we have tributes paid to the Turkish soldiers by Maryborough men Bob Hunter and Duncan Chapman.

“Bob Hunter, who survived the war and later became Mayor of Maryborough, wrote in July 1915 that ‘the Turk is a fairer fighter than he has been given credit for’.

“Duncan Chapman, who was the catalyst for the memorial trail, wrote in July 1915 that ‘In the Turk we have a truly obstinate fighter, and he has well earned the title of the ‘Fighting Turk’.

“It is fitting that we are now building on the mutual respect that was recorded then. This visit by the Ambassador is an honour.”

Mr Karakoc, who became Turkey’s Ambassador to Australia in 2019, has previously stated that Turks and the Australians had inherited the Gallipoli Spirit from their grandparents.

The spirit was an inspiration for peace and friendship between our countries, which was reinforced with the message of compassion and comfort of Atatürk, founder of the Turkish Republic, to the families of the ANZACs who could not return to their homes from Gallipoli.

He has described the relationship which has evolved between Turkey and Australia from 1915 to the present day as “fundamental and unique”.

His Excellency joined Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour to plant a Crimson Bottlebrush, the floral emblem of Maryborough, in the Mary River Parklands.