General News
20 April, 2023
Anzac Day ceremonies set
AUSTRALIANS will pause in solemn reflection next week as the sacrifices of Australian servicemen and women are remembered on Anzac Day.
AUSTRALIANS will pause in solemn reflection next week as the sacrifices of Australian servicemen and women are remembered on Anzac Day.
Services will be held across the region on Tuesday, April 25 in commemoration of the south west Victorians, and all Australians, who served their nation through military conflicts.
The Terang Returned and Services League (RSL) sub branch will host a dawn service at 5.45am followed by a gunfire breakfast from the RSL Hall on Shadforth Street.
“We’ll have tea and coffee, and a chance for people to look around the hall afterwards,” Terang RSL sub branch president Terry Fidge said.
“At 10am we will have another service at the RSL hall, which will go for half an hour to 45 minutes, then we will gather outside the hall for a march down High Street to the Obelisk.
“Any group wishing to march with us is welcome, and we’ll also have a service at the Obelisk.”
Speaking at the service following the march will be local doctor, Dr Tim Fitzpatrick.
“His grandfather served at Gallipoli,” Mr Fidge said.
“After the service a light luncheon will be served at the RSL hall for anyone wishing to join, which will give them an opportunity to have a look at our memorabilia displays and the heritage tram.
“It will be a fairly action-packed day, and our members will start working at about 4.30am, so a thank you to them for their efforts.”
The Mortlake RSL sub branch will be hosting services in Ellerslie and Mortlake.
“There will be a service at the Ellerslie War Memorial (Hopkins Highway) at 9am,” Mortlake RSL president Merv Hampson said.
The members will then return to Mortlake for the Anzac Day march, which will take a slightly varied route this year.
The march has typically started from the Post Office before turning onto the highway on Dunlop Street and marching directly to the war memorial, but this year will instead march down the service road alongside the highway.
Mr Hampson said the new route would ease the pressure which results from temporarily closing the highway without causing disruption to the march.
“The march will start from the Post Office at 10am and travel down the south side of the service road on Dunlop Street, past the butcher shop,” he said.
“The march will conclude in front of the Moyne Shire office, and there will be a service at the monument.
“We would like as many people as possible to come out and watch the march, and the schools will also be marching with us again.”
The Panmure Action Group have also invited members of the public to attend an Anzac Day Service at the Panmure memorial from 2pm.
The year the group will be paying homage to the Vietnam veterans from the Panmure area who served.
An afternoon tea will be held at the hall afterwards, with those attending invited to bring along a plate to share.
The Noorat Residents Association will again host a service, as the group nears a decade of hosting an Anzac Day service in the town.
Noorat Residents Association representative Lynn Patzel said the group had organised a service in Noorat for the last eight years and placed an emphasis on introducing the concept of Anzac Day to the younger members of the community.
“We will have a service at 8am at the Noorat and District War Memorial on MacKinnon’s Bridge Road, opposite the Presbyterian Church,” she said.
“Our focus is on making the service understandable for children, including a children’s story, due to a lot of kids from the local schools often being in attendance.
“Wreaths will be laid by the association, shire and community and a tea and coffee van will be available afterwards; with some Anzac biscuits, I’m sure.”