Towns across the Mitchell and Macedon Ranges shires are preparing for their first full Anzac Day services since 2019 after COVID-19 restrictions stymied events across Victoria for the past two years.
Broadford’s Des Callaghan, the Returned and Services League, RSL, Victorian senior vice-president, said he was excited for dawn services to return without any restrictions on Monday.
“The Shrine of Remembrance service and the march will be back to full numbers, which is a great thing after a couple of years,” he said.
“We’re also back with an Anzac service at St Paul’s Cathedral on Anzac Day Eve on April 24, and I’ll be staying down overnight and marching in Melbourne on Anzac Day.
“It feels like it’s back to normality, thank goodness.”
Towns are also preparing to mark the day, with Kilmore Wallan RSL sub-branch to host dawn services in both towns at 6am.
The Kilmore service will be at the Hudson Park cenotaph, while the Wallan service will be at Hadfield Park.
A march in Wallan will assemble at Queen Street at 8.15am before another service at 9am, while a Kilmore march will assemble next to the Old Town Hall at 10.30am, with a service at 11am.
Broadford’s Anzac Day March will start in front of Broadford Hardware at 9.30am, continuing along High Street to the cenotaph where an Anzac service will occur.
Broadford RSL welcomes the community back to the RSL hall for a light morning tea.
Romsey Lancefield RSL will also host an initial commemoration service at Romsey War Memorial at 7.30am, with the main commemoration to take place at Lancefield War Memorial at 8.30am.
The sub-branch has made provisions for community members to lay private wreaths or floral tributes.
Any community members or organisations wishing to lay a wreath are requested to advise the president Reinhard Goschiniak on 0419 375 060 or John Horan on 0448 279 830 before Anzac Day.
Seymour RSL will begin its dawn service at 5.45am with a march from the sub-branch to the gates of Seymour Health, also known at Seymour District Memorial Hospital, with the service to commence at 6am.
There will be a gunfire breakfast at the sub-branch at the conclusion of the dawn service.
A Seymour morning service will depart from the car park behind Seymour Total Sports at 9.45am and march to the Seymour War Memorial on Anzac Avenue in front of Wine by Sam.
Non-RSL-affiliated groups will also host Anzac Day commemorations, with the Wandong History Group planning a service at Wandong Heathcote Junction Memorial park at 12pm followed by a gold coin donation sausage sizzle.
Pyalong Neighbourhood House will also put on a commemorative march and service, with marchers requested to assemble at 10.45am at Pyalong General Store to select the name badge of a Pyalong or Tooborac serviceman or woman from a past conflict.
The march will proceed to Pyalong Memorial Garden on High Street, where the ceremony will commence at 11am. Refreshments will not be served following the ceremony due to COVID-19 restrictions.
