A memorial service for victims’ families and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial, Kings Park, Acton, Canberra on 26 November, 2024. Attendees included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael McCormack, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia.

A memorial service for victims’ families and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial, Kings Park, Acton, Canberra on 26 November, 2024. Attendees included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael McCormack, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia.

A memorial service for victims’ families and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial, Kings Park, Acton, Canberra on 26 November, 2024. Attendees included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael McCormack, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia.

A memorial service for victims’ families and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial, Kings Park, Acton, Canberra on 26 November, 2024. Attendees included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael McCormack, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia.

A memorial service for victims’ families and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial, Kings Park, Acton, Canberra on 26 November, 2024. Attendees included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael McCormack, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia.

A memorial service for victims’ families and survivors of the Indian Ocean Tsunami at the Tsunami Memorial, Kings Park, Acton, Canberra on 26 November, 2024. Attendees included Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Michael McCormack, Shadow Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Michelle Chan, Deputy Secretary, South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia.

Australian aid is delivered into the Tamil Camp of Mutur following the 2004 tsunami. Sri Lanka 2005. Photo: Lorrie Graham

AusAID team arrives following 2004 tsunami. Maldives 2005. Photo: AusAID

Tsunami aftermath. Aceh, Indonesia 2005. Photo: AusAID

Tsunami aftermath. Aceh, Indonesia 2005. Photo: AusAID

Tsunami aftermath. Aceh, Indonesia 2005. Photo: AusAID

Tsunami aftermath. Aceh, Indonesia 2005. Photo: AusAID

Coffee shop under the boat, Banda Aceh 2005. Photo: AusAID

For the tsunami victims who had lost everything, rebuilding their homes was the first step in a long process of rebuilding their lives. Australia worked with the Indonesian Government and NGOs to provide high-quality temporary and permanent housing. Photo: Rob Maccoll/AusAID. Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

The Australian Government responded quickly and generously to the disaster, committing more than $250 million to the Aceh and Nias reconstruction effort. Photo: R. MacColl Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

A fishing boat stranded after the tsunami. The fishing industry which was devastated by the tsunami has been rebuilt. Photo: AusAID. Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

Aceh after the disaster. Photo: R. MacColl. Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

Australia’s work in the education sector helped to improve the quality of education and student participation, particularly of girls. Photo: R. MacColl. Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

Shoreline following 2004 tsunami, before clean-up. Maldives 2005. Photo: AusAID

Shoreline following 2004 tsunami, after clean-up. Maldives 2005. Photo: AusAID

Restoring physical infrastructure such as the Emergency Ward at the Zainoel Abidin Hospital. Photo: M. Anshar. To request copyright use and access to hi-res versions of this photo, contact [email protected]

Aftermath of tsunami. Thailand 2005. Photo: AusAID

A farmer brings in a netful of Acehnese Monodon prawns, considered among the best in the world. Australia helped rebuild Aceh’s peak aquaculture prawn hatchery, which provides support and training for farmers and has helped lead to increased yields. Photo: International Finance Corporation Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

Australia helped to streamline government reconstruction services through single service windows, allowing Acehnese people to obtain a range of services from one place quickly, cheaply and transparently. Photo: AusAID. Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.

Many NGOs and donor governments funded the construction of housing, with villages like this one being relocated to higher, safer ground. The international community has worked to ensure that tsunami-affected people have safe, culturally appropriate houses, basic infrastructure and equal rights to ownership. Photo: Andy Madusila/AusAID. Contact [email protected] with the URL of an image or images to obtain a high resolution original.