Community
18 April, 2024
Services, marches planned for Anzac Day
RESIDENTS across the region are invited to commemorate the sacrifices of those who served their nation on Anzac Day next week.
Anzac Day, next Thursday, April 25, is among the largest national calendar events as Australians pay respects to the victims of war and recognise the sacrifices made by all members of the armed forces.
Services will be held across the region including Terang, Mortlake, Noorat, Panmure and Ellerslie for those wanting to reflect.
The Mortlake Returned and Service League (RSL) sub-branch will this year hold an early service at the Ellerslie War Memorial on the Hopkins Highway from 9am, prior to a march and service in Mortlake from 10am.
“Our march will be marching off from 10am at the Mortlake Post Office, after assembling from 9.30am,” Mortlake RSL sub-branch president Merv Hampson said.
“The march will move down Dunlop Street and conclude with a service at the Mortlake War Memorial (Corner of Jamieson Avenue and Officer Street).
“After the service the public is invited up to the Mortlake RSL Hall (17 Shaw Street) for a complimentary morning tea.”
Mr Hampson said this year’s service would speak on the importance of Anzac Day.
“I think it’s the most important day in the calendar,” he said.
Members of the Mortlake RSL will also begin selling badges and poppies from next Friday in front of Clarke’s Café and Bates IGA.
“All funds raised from the sales go to RSL Welfare,” Mr Hampson said.
A service and march will also be held in Panmure from 2pm, with the march beginning near the community hall on Harris Street followed by a wreath laying and service at the Panmure War Memorial.
In Terang, there will be a gunfire breakfast in the early hours of the morning followed by two separate services at 10am and 11am.
“Terang will conduct a dawn service at the Terang RSL hall on Shadforth Street at 5.45am, which will be followed by an egg and bacon roll gunfire breakfast,” Terang RSL sub-branch president Terry Fidge said.
“We’ll have Coffee with the Girls at the dawn service and an opportunity for people to have a look around at that early hour of the morning.
“From 10am we will have a service at the Terang RSL Hall, followed by a march to the Terang War Memorial (High Street, opposite the post office) to be down there by 11am, where we will have a guest speaker and a laying of the wreaths.
“We welcome everybody if they would like to lay a wreath, followed by light refreshments served back at the Terang RSL Hall for anyone to have a look around.”
Mr Fidge said Anzac Day had become an important date for Australians each year.
“I think the general public are getting right behind Anzac Day, after a period in the late 1970s and 1980s where it had lost popularity, but it’s come back and younger generations are getting right behind it,” he said.
“It’s fantastic.
‘The Terang RSL also draws on the sacrifices of those in the local community who answered the call of conflict, and that’s what we’re reflecting on – some of whom were never to return home.”
Terang RSL sub-branch’s Roger Primmer said keeping alive the memory of those who served was important in a modern world.
“With all the disruption of the world today, it’s important to remember the spirit and sacrifice of those gone past,” he said.
“When you’re getting a lot of feedback in this world, you can get away from, or lose, the perspective of the service and sacrifice past.”
Noorat District Residents Association president Eve Black said a service would be held in Noorat at the Noorat War Memorial, on MacKinnon’s Bridge Road opposite the Noorat Presbyterian Church, from 8am.
“We’ll have the Anzac service and a light horseman, a piper and a bugler in attendance,” she said.
“Will Conheady will lay wreath on behalf of Noorat and District Residents Association, and the Noorat Scouts will also be in attendance to lay a wreath.
“The wider community will then be invited to lay their own wreaths – after which Lynn Patzel and Mortlake’s Florence Charles will make an address.
“We’ll have a complimentary coffee cart with coffee, tea and hot chocolate for anyone staying behind after the service.”
Mrs Black said the occasion was important for Australians to remember the sacrifices their forebears had made for their nation.
“It is probably becoming more and more important, year by year,” she said.
“It’s important for young people to carry on the tradition.
“Anzac Day is not a celebration, but a commemoration and a time for reflection.
“We have some hard-working people who are part of the Noorat District Residents Association who host the service, so we would encourage everyone to come along to Noorat to pay their respects for those who served.”
Through the month there will also be an Anzac Display in the window of the old Noorat Hall, opposite the Noorat Pub, with the community invited to have a look at some of the history on display.