After two years of limited Anzac Day services and marches, hundreds of thousands of Australians turned out at Dawn Services across the nation this year.
About 50,000 Victorians huddled in the cold at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance on Monday to acknowledge and remember the service and sacrifice of Australian servicemen and women for the first time since 2019.
The Governor of Victoria Linda Dessau told the crowd the Shrine of Remembrance “is the living soul of Melbourne.”
“All those who have served, or who are serving, are the reason that we gather on this holy ground,” she said.
“We cannot change the past. We cannot bring back those lost to the traumas of conflict. We can only support those who did return. We can only honour and remember those who did not.
“That is the purpose of this place of pilgrimage*, this Shrine of Remembrance, this part of home that never forgets those who served. Its purpose is to honour and remember. And, in doing so, to understand the terrible cost of war.”
RSL Victoria president Robert Webster said this year’s Dawn Service – which marks the 107th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings – was “very significant” after two years of interruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This is the first time we’ve been able to do it unrestricted for three years,’’ he said.
After the Dawn Service, thousands of people lined Melbourne’s St Kilda Rd as veterans and their family members marched through the morning sunshine.
In Sydney, thousands braved cold and wet conditions to commemorate the sacrifices made by our men and women on the 95th anniversary of the first Dawn Service held at the Cenotaph in Martin Place.
“The Anzac spirit is as relevant* now as it has ever been,” said NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.
Rain also fell in Brisbane but did not dampen commemorations, with people crowding into Anzac Square from 3.30am for the Dawn Service.
Full-scale services and marches were held around the nation, from large events in capital cities to smaller commemorations in suburbs and regional towns.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison attended the Dawn Service in Darwin and spoke about the dangers of war still troubling the world, saying “it takes a nation to defend a nation”.
“What ultimately matters in that task is a fierce and protective love for their nation and of their liberty*, a love of home, family, community and country, a willingness to live for all of these things, but if necessary, sacrifice for something far greater than ourselves,” Mr Morrison said.
“This morning, far away from here, the people of Ukraine are doing exactly that, and on this particular day as we honour those who fall for our liberty and freedom, we stand with the people of Ukraine who do the same thing at this very moment.”
GLOSSARY
- pilgrimage: a special journey made to a sacred place
- liberty: the state of being free
- relevant: significant and appropriate to the current time
EXTRA READING
Anzac Day marches get the green light from PM
Aussies want mass light salute on Anzac Day
QUICK QUIZ
- How many people attended the Dawn Service in Melbourne?
- Who is the governor of Victoria?
- How many years has it been since the ANZACs landed at Gallipoli?
- In which city did Prime Minister Scott Morrison attend the Dawn Service?
- Which current conflict did Mr Morrison reference in his speech?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Acrostic poem
Use the name Anzac Day to write an acrostic poem about the significance of the day.
Begin by writing the letters down the side of your page like this:
A
N
Z
A
C
D
A
Y
Then use each letter as the first letter of the line. You can use single words or short phrases.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum links: English, Humanities – History
2. Extension
What does Anzac Day mean to you? Do you have a personal connection with someone who was involved in World War I (a grandparent or great grandparent)? Or do you know someone who was involved in another war? Is there someone you know who is in the Defence Forces now? Have you heard stories about the mateship and bravery of our soldiers? Or do you have another perspective?
Write a paragraph that explains how you feel about Anzac Day and what it means to you and why it is an important day for Australians and New Zealanders.
Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English; Humanities and Social Sciences; History; Personal and Social Capability
VCOP ACTIVITY
A letter of thanks
There are so many people fighting for us, making sure we are safe, and making sure we have a better tomorrow.
Whether it’s the Anzac soldiers, other defence force officers, or maybe they are more local public service officers, educators and health workers (police, nurses, firefighters, ambulance officers, teachers, crossing guards, doctors etc).
Choose someone to write a thankyou letter or card to, and explain why you want to thank them for what they do.
