Kia Ora State School, Gympie region Anzac Day services

Showers failed to dampen the Anzac spirit across the Gympie region, with crowds turning out in their thousands for services. GALLERY, PARADE HIGHLIGHTS AND FULL LIST OF SERVICES.

Unpredictable weather was not enough to deter Gympie’s Anzac spirit on Monday, with thousands of residents commemorating Australia’s servicemen in a turnout one regional leader called “extraordinary”.

The day’s events began with packed Dawn Services across the region, with crowds ignoring intermittent drizzle to gather at memorials in Gympie and its regional towns, including the Mary Valley, Cooloola Coast, Widgee, Kilkivan and Goomeri.

Thousands lined Mary St soon after for the march, where schools, veterans and servicemen shrugged off recurring showers to honour their fallen comrades, family members and friends.

Several veterans travelled by vehicle in the march, driven down the city’s main street in a series of vintage cars from across the decades.

GALLERY: 50 pics as crowds gather for Gympie’s Anzac services

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They were followed by a procession of schools and servicemen, who were met with continuous applause from appreciative and respectful residents.

It was a similar story at Rainbow Beach, although crowds were treated to a much drier day with an overcast morning failing to deliver any rainfall.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett called the turnout “extraordinary,” with residents crowding on to and across River Rd for the morning’s service.

Commemoration services across the region started on Friday at several Gympie’s schools, including Kia Ora State School, which played host to a number of special guests and veterans.

Kia Ora State School held their own Anzac Day on Friday, April 22. Students are pictured here with (left to right) Gympie MP Tony Perrett, Councillor Dolly Jensen and Wide Bay MP Llew O'Brien. Photo: Teresa Kitto

See the full list of Anzac Day services around the region on Monday:

Gympie Dawn Service – Memorial Park at 5am Commemoration service – Normanby Hill on Power Rd, Southside, at 7am

Community Anzac Day service – Memorial Park at 10.15am

Rainbow Beach Dawn Service – Rainbow Beach War Memorial at 5.30am

Wolvi Service – Wolvi Hall at 5.30pm

Mary Valley Dawn Service – Kandanga War Memorial at 5.30am

Mary Valley march – Kandanga State School at 11am for 11.30 start

Widgee Service – Widgee War Memorial at 6am