TWO years ago, Kieran and Rhonda Doherty booked a trip to Turkey.

What they didn't know is that they would get the opportunity of a lifetime.

They will be among the select group to stand at Anzac Cove on April 25 and commemorate the one hundred years that have passed since the Gallipoli landing.

"We wanted to go anyway for the experience," said Mrs Doherty.

"We didn't think we would be successful in the ballot."

The well-travelled couple both entered the ballot to the Dawn service, held each year to commemorate Australian and New Zealander fighters landing in Gallipoli during the First World War.

"We booked the trip through Rotary first," explained Mrs Doherty.

"When we were successful in the ballot we had to have travel plans in place and confirm them before we got our tickets."

They will be one of more than eight thousand Australians who will gather at Anzac Cove for the service, after Rhonda's name was successfully drawn from a ballot of over 38,000 entries.

Mr Doherty attends the Dawn service every year on Anzac Day but he says that this year will be very emotional.

"My great-great-great-uncle fought at Gallipoli and he wrote a letter to his sister which is quite sad to read," he said, poring over a copy of the letter.

"It's written as though he's not expecting to come home; he talks about stuff like bullets overhead and shrapnel all around."

His uncle, Neil Doherty, has just published a book titled From Gallipoli with Love, which uses the letter to tell the story of his family member's journey through the war.

Mr Doherty is a Rotarian here in Warwick and the couple will be hosted by the Rotary Club of Göksu while in Turkey.

They will tour Istanbul for eight days, where they will attend a Rotary peace conference, before travelling to Anzac Cove for the service.