Some SA RSL branches to hold Anzac Day dawn services but most pull the pin

Last year was a year like no other for Anzac Day celebrations. Some will return to normal this year, but many others are still unable to go ahead.

Light Up The Dawn services in people’s front yards will still play a big part of Anzac Day this year. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Only a handful of RSL branches will return to holding their traditional Dawn Services this year, despite State Government support being offered to run the events.

For some branches, low volunteer numbers, coupled with COVID restrictions, have made it still making it too hard to hold the event.

This week, the McLaren Vale RSL announced that it would unable to provide an Anzac Day dawn service, due to the current restrictions.

Club secretary Cliff Gibson said while the branch had 150 members, with a half dozen volunteers shouldering most of the work, it was simply too hard to run a Dawn Service under COVID rules.

Anzac Day dawn service at Semaphore. Picture: Andrew Williams

The branch is instead asking community members to ‘Light Up The Dawn’ down their driveways again and visit the local memorial to pay their respects.

“To hold a ticketed event, with QR codes and roving marshalls, we just don’t have the resources,” Mr Gibson said.

“Also, we usually get between 4000 and 5000 people turn up, with a COVID safe plan we’re only allowed 1000, so who do we let in?”

In mid-March, Premier Steven Marshall announced staffing and financial support would be available to RSL sub branches to help run dawn services.

It came after three of Adelaide’s major services – at the Semaphore, Morphett Vale and Brighton RSL branches – were originally cancelled before being restored.

Brighton RSL is now understood to be working with Holdfast Bay Council to arrange a dawn service at the Brighton Oval, because the traditional location in front of the jetty is too constricted.

Veterans SA director Catherine Walsh said any RSL sub-branch was able to contact the organisation to seek assistance to run the events.

“The branches we’ve been speaking have been very grateful for the assistance the state government is providing,” she said.

A State Government spokesperson said branches could apply for funding to meet the extra costs involved with running a COVID-safe event, such as fencing and hand sanitiser, with no cap on the funds available.

Support was also being offered to help develop COVID management plans.

But RSL Anzac Day committee chairman Ian Smith said for many clubs, even with the state government support, it was just too hard, logistically, to run a Dawn Service.

“After a year of poor trading conditions, and not a lot of money to spend, it’s just too difficult for many branches,” he said.

Mr Smith said the Adelaide Dawn Service, which starts at 6am, would be run under a booking system this year.

“We’ll release 1500 tickets on April 8 and a further 1000 on April 15,” he said.

The West Croydon and Kilkenny RSL will be holding a dawn service at 6.15am, followed by its traditional $5 bacon and egg roll and coffee afterwards.

But COVID restrictions mean the branch is restricted to 500 people outside for the service on the front lawn and 200 people inside the club after the service.

Likewise, the Blackwood RSL will hold a Dawn Service from 6.30am to 7.15am but numbers will be limited to 4000, with attendees allowed in on a first-in, best-dressed basis.

The Morphett Vale RSL will hold a dawn service at the City of Onkaparinga Memorial Gardens from 5.30am.

The branch is still working on what will be its maximum capacity but believes it will be between 6000 to 7000 spectators.

It will be a ticketed event through Eventbrite.

Semaphore and Port Adelaide RSL was still waiting on its COVID management plan to be approved by SA Health, as it holds one of the state’s biggest services.

RSL Unley have decided against hosting a public event and will host a small private event, but the guest list will be generated solely by the RSL.