ORANGE mother of two Cassie Carslake will join a waiting list of around 32,000 people who were unsuccessful in winning a place in the ballot to attend the 100th anniversary commemorations of Anzac Day at Gallipoli in 2015.
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While preference was to be given to direct descendants of those who served in the Gallipoli campaign, all Australian citizens were invited to take part in the ballot run by the Australian government.
Mrs Carslake said while she was disappointed not to have been randomly selected from the 40,000 people who applied, her family would travel to Europe anyway.
"I was gutted and angry when I found out," Mrs Carslake said.
"But we decided stuff it, we'll have a good holiday anyway, we just won't go there."
Some 11 years ago Mrs Carslake and her husband Brett pledged to attend the once-in-a-lifetime event, and put their name into the ballot on November 16 last year.
The couple and their two young sons, also signed up with a tour group travelling to the ceremony in the hope it would increase their chances of selection.
However early this month they received the bad news that they had not made the initial selection but could sit on the long waiting list until it closed on March 31 next year.
Mrs Carslake said she and her family would refocus on planning a future trip to the Kokoda Track.
tracey.prisk@fairfaxmedia.com.au