Sandakan Memorial Park

Sandakan Memorial Park is a memorial park located at Mile 8, Jalan Labuk, about 12 kilometres southwest of Sandakan city in Sabah, Malaysia. Built on the site of the former Sandakan prisoner-of-war camp from World War II, it commemorates approximately 2,400 Australian and British prisoners who died during captivity and the subsequent Sandakan Death Marches. The park features a pavilion, memorial obelisk, excavated remains and landscaped gardens within a tranquil forested setting.

Visitors can expect a quiet, forested park on the former POW camp site with landscaped gardens and paved pathways. The site includes a Memorial Pavilion with exhibition panels and photographs, a Commemorative Pavilion with names of prisoners, a memorial obelisk, and excavated remains of the camp including a boiler, generator and water tank. Information boards explain the camp layout and history. The environment is tranquil and reflective, suitable for walking, reading displays and photography.

The park stands on the site of the Sandakan POW Camp operated during World War II. Between 1942 and 1945, approximately 2,400 Australian and British prisoners of war were held here. In 1945, prisoners were forced on the Sandakan Death Marches to Ranau, with only six Australians surviving. The park was opened on 18 March 1999 to commemorate those who died and to preserve the camp remains.

The park serves as a place of remembrance and commemoration for families and visitors from Malaysia, Australia and the United Kingdom. It is maintained as a memorial garden and educational site that honours the memory of those who died and promotes understanding of the historical events associated with the site.