Sandakan Memorial Park Pavilion temporarily closed for refurbishment

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The Interpretive Pavilion at the Sandakan Memorial Park in Sabah, Malaysia, is temporarily closed for a major upgrade and is expected to reopen in April 2024. Visitors still have access to the park itself, the memorial obelisk and the guided app tour of the park during this time.

Sandakan Memorial Park was built on the grounds of the former Sandakan Prisoner of War camp and commemorates all Australian and British prisoners of war (POWs) who suffered or died at the camp and on the Sandakan death marches during the Second World War, as well as the locals who risked their lives to help them.

Inaugurated in 1999, the original Sandakan Memorial Pavilion was built predominantly of hardwood timber and requires replacing to ensure it is safe and can withstand the harsh tropical climate. The Australian Government announced a funding commitment of $5.1 million to upgrade the pavilion in the 2022–23 Federal Budget. 

As part of this upgrade, the interpretive content within the pavilion will also be refreshed to transform a traditional panel exhibit to one with more imagery and use of other media. The refreshed exhibit will better convey the experience of the Australian and British POWs and the locals who helped them while they were interred – and who helped the six survivors of the death marches to escape.

For more information on Sandakan Memorial Park, visit the DVA website and stay tuned for news on the unveiling of the upgraded pavilion.