Approval given for 10,000 people to attend Brighton Anzac Day service

Anzac Day services were in doubt as RSLs scrabbled to put COVID-19 plans in place – but several large services will still go ahead. See how to get tickets.

Brighton’s Anzac Day Dawn Service is set to be the biggest in Adelaide, with 10,000 people able to attend.

A cloud was hanging over Adelaide Dawn Services, as RSL branches scrabbled to put together COVID-19 management plans for their events.

But RSL branches across the state had their management plans signed off by SA Health this week.

For many, numbers will be much lower than other years.

Morphett Vale RSL has confirmed 7000 people will be allowed to attend its event, down from the usual 17,000 that attend.

But it is still a vast improvement on last year, when people were mostly confined to their homes due to COVID-19.

The Kindness Kombi van played the dawn service bugle to few people for Anzac Day at the Semaphore Foreshore Memorial last year. Pic: Morgan Sette

Brighton RSL’s Anzac Day Dawn Service will be held at Brighton Oval at 6am.

The service has moved from the traditional location of the Arch of Remembrance at Brighton Jetty to the larger Brighton Oval, to provide space for the community to pay their respects while meeting COVID-19-safe requirements.

The Dawn Service at Brighton is traditionally attended by up to 6000 people and the new location at Brighton Oval can accommodate up to 10,000 people.

Brighton RSL secretary and treasurer Trevor Whitelaw said the branch looked forward to returning to its traditional location at the Arch of Remembrance next year.

“We look forward to returning to the Arch in 2022 and being able to invite the public back to the RSL premises,” he said.

“This is not able to be managed this year with the COVID-19 restrictions in place.”

Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson said the dawn service was an opportunity for the community to come together to reflect and to remember those who sacrificed so much.

There will not be an Anzac Day Dawn Service in Glenelg this year.

Large crowds have attended Anzac Day services across Adelaide in previous years. Pic: Mark Brake

But Morphett Vale secretary Jarrad Kay said the RSL branch was looking forward to welcoming 7000 people to their Dawn Service, even though this would well down on normal numbers.

“We usually average 17,000 people at the dawn service,” he said.

Morphett Vale’s Dawn Service starts at 6am at the City of Onkaparinga Memorial Gardens.

There will also be a service held at the Port Noarlunga Christies Beach RSL at Port Noarlunga at 5.30am but only for 2000 people.

Due to the limited numbers, attendees must secure a ticket through EventBrite.

Adelaide’s Dawn Service is also a ticketed event but there are spaces still available.

RSL Anzac Day committee chairman Ian Smith said 1300 tickets have been snapped up from the first release of 1500 spaces on April 8.

Another 1000 tickets will also be available from 6pm, Thursday, April 15.

Mr Smith urged anyone wanting to attend to get in early, with people able to secure up to four tickets at a time through EventBrite.