The Victorian Government is inviting Victorians living in homes once the residence of  World War I soldiers or nurses to purchase a commemorative plaque.

Minister for Veterans John Eren announced on Friday 18 March 2016 a trial program that will connect today’s households with Victoria’s wartime legacy.

The trial will be available to select households  in Williamstown, Hawthorn, Geelong and Ballarat. Selected households will be contacted directly and invited to participate.

Many Victorians have a connection with World War I. More than 110,000 Victorians answered their nation’s call and enlisted in the war between 1914 and 1918. The rich legacy of our servicemen and women has been captured and preserved by historical writings, research programs and databases.

The Victorian Government has identified 400 houses that were home to a World War I participant, and is now inviting current homeowners to purchase a plaque to commemorate their property’s place in our history. The plaques will cost $70.

Our veterans deserve the greatest respect, and the Anzac Centenary House Plaque Trial Project is another fitting tribute to our servicemen and women.

The Victorian Government will assess the success of the trial before deciding whether to roll it out across the state.

If you want to check if a soldier or nurse lived in your home, in 1914-18, then visit the AIF Project, and search under your address. Make sure to tick the box to check on next of kin’s address too, as so many of those who enlisted were very young and still living in their parent’s home. The search results may also bring up others who lived in your street – make sure you share this information with your neighbours!

Plaques at this stage will be restricted to the trial areas.

However If you would like to register your interest to participate if the project is rolled out statewide, please email us at anzaccentenary@dpc.vic.gov.au and we will keep your contact details for further information in the future.