El Arish was settled in 1920 as a product of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act when ballots of land were made available to Australia’s returning soldiers from World War One. The returned soldiers embarked on a prolific sugar cane industry which saw the town flourish throughout the 20th Century.
Named in commemoration of the taking of ‘El Arish’ in [then] Palestine [now Egypt] during World War One, this legendary victory tells the story of General Sir Harry Chauvel and the 6th Australian Light Horse encircling the town at dawn. Two Turkish soldiers guarding the post immediately surrendered and El Arish went on to become a strategic watering place and hospital town for Australians on the advance to Damascus.
In 2020, El Arish is a quaint town with strong community ties to its original settlement, now home to around 350 residents and featuring a school, a pub and butcher shop and a local convenience store and post office. The village proudly displays its history at the original railway station on Chauvel Street called the ‘El Arish Diggers Museum’ which houses a unique collection for public viewing.
