Australian High Commissioner to Malta Jane Lambert told News Corp Australia she would like to see Australia Hall in Pembroke restored as a place for the community to use, news.com.au reports.

She said the fact it was built on Australian donations at the time of the Turkish campaign was indicative Australians at the time understood its worth.

“I think it has a very strong place in the history of the Gallipoli and the ANZAC story but perhaps it has been a story that has not been well known,” she said.

“That is quite surprising even when you consider just the statistics. There were about 55,000 troops from the Gallipoli campaign brought to Malta for care, so it is surprising their experiences here were not recorded or understood in any way outside the local Maltese community. The 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign and also the centenary of the First World War is a time for reflection and looking back in history and making sure we haven’t forgotten the important things that need to be remembered,” she added.

Ms Lambert’s quotes were part of a long article about Australia Hall which was published on the Australian portal, and which can be read here.

The poor state of Australia Hall was treated in a BBC documentary that can be seen in link below (third minute).