Anzac Day commemorated across North Coast, from Tweed Heads to Lismore and Grafton
Northern NSW residents have packed into Anzac Day services to remember “those who never came home” and “those who did and bear the scars”. See the photos and videos.
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Thousands of North Coast residents packed in to marches and services across the region to commemorate Anzac Day on the 108th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.
From Tweed Heads to Lismore, Byron Bay and Grafton – here’s how the national day of remembrance commemorating all Australians who served and died has been marked.
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Grafton march deemed ‘best and largest’ in years
The wet weather held off and the sun came shining through as a big crowd took to Prince St Grafton for the midmorning march from Market Square to Memorial Park.
Students from Grafton Public School, Grafton High School, Westlawn Public School and McAuley Catholic College spoke at a bustling service, among others.
They spoke of wars past and integral moments in Australia’s military history – from the Darwin bombing to the Kokoda Track.
Grafton High School Captain Darcy Deefholts raised that Vietnam War veterans were often disrespected when they returned home from the divisive conflict.
He hammered home the need for more support for returning servicemen and women.
“Let us pay our respects to all who served on our behalf … and let us never forget the sacrifices of those who did not return,” he said.
Veterans Snow Mclymont, who served in the Korean War, and Sid Porter, who served in Malaya, said they were delighted by the services.
“It was excellent – I think it’s the best and largest turn out I’ve ever seen here in Grafton,” Mr Mclymont said.
Jeff Darcy, who served in the Australian navy during the Vietnam War, and Peter Hay, an army veteran, also spoke highly of the Grafton Anzac Day events.
“We were lucky with the weather, for a minute there I thought it would be raining,” Mr Darcy said.
“But then the sun came out.”
Taking to the streets
Hundreds of people gathered along River St in Ballina to march down to the RSL Memorial in the city.
The march began at 10.30am, marked by drums and bagpipes.
A procession of the armed service branches, veterans, Ballina RSL members, police, SES, local schools and the Scouts travelled the street to rousing applause from the crowd.
The march was heading to the 10.55am Commemoration Service at Ballina RSL Memorial.
Ballina RSL Sub-Branch treasurer Colin MacDonald, who reached the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant Commander, said Anzac Day was an occasion to reflect on shared experiences for veterans.
“Sometimes we speak of stories and invariably they’re laughable stories, comedy stuff,” he said.
Mr MacDonald said he believed it was a hallmark of the Anzacs to laugh in the face of adversity, but “the really serious stuff is rarely spoken about”.
“If you want to take hell, you send in the Australians and then the New Zealanders to hold it,” he said.
“When we get together, we remember the times we had good times – and this is one of them.”
Sub-branch vice president and ex-serviceman Darin Preston said the turnout was incredible after two years of not being able to come together as a community because of the Covid pandemic.
Regarding veteran welfare, Mr Preston said the most recent Census showed about 1000 veterans were living in the Ballina area at the time, but the sub-branch only had about 300 members.
“We really need to engage the younger members (of the defence force),” he said.
“The RSL wasn’t born full of old people. They came back from WWI and had kids and families.
“It was a full on family and social structure they used to support each other.
“That’s where we need to go back to. We need to sell that to the young veterans and show them that there is a family for them.”
Meanwhile, Lismore was overcast and rain threatened to put a dampener on proceedings.
But only a brief mist slicked the surrounds as onlookers lined the streets to welcome those marching down Molesworth St to the Lismore Memorial Baths.
Lismore high school captains recited prayers during the service and the Lismore concert band performed through the ceremony and afterwards.
41st battalion Royal NSW Regiment gave an emotive speech on the history of the Anzacs, noting the courage and spirit of Lismore Private Patrick Joseph Bugden.
Mr Bugden was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in World War One.
The mood at the march was warm and respectful.
Richmond Police District Inspector Suzie Johnson said Anzac Day in Lismore was “wonderful” and she was pleased the march dodged the worst of the wet weather.
“Beautiful, pristine. The march – what a commemoration of Anzac Day,” she said.
“NSW Police have come down here to support our fellow servicemen and women in the defence forces.”
Mark Jacobson spoke of the difficulty of returning home after serving.
“I’m part of the RSL Lismore. Retired, served eight years in the Australian Defence Force in infantry,” he said.
“A lot of it’s still in the head. It’s not so much broken limbs and bones as well, but it’s also still in your head.
Mr Jacobson said veterans must jump through lots of hoops to get much-needed help.
“We went overseas to fight. We shouldn’t have to come back home and fight,” he said.
Mr Jacobson was pleased there was better support for ex-service men and women than “back in the day”, but said Australia has a way to go.
“They just didn’t talk about it,” he said.
“Today there are services but there’s just lots of hoops to jump through to access those services.”
Earlier, Lismore Mayor Steve Krieg urged residents to pay their respects.
“Today is a very important day in our annual calendar, not just for Lismore, but for the whole country,” he said.
“It’s important that we come together and remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.”
Rain stopped just in time for Byron Bay’s Anzac Day midmorning march between Apex Park and the Memorial Gates – though it’s unlikely all but the heaviest downpour would have had an impact.
The mood was sombre as a speech by Kemal Ataturk was read. Ataturk was Commander of the Turkish 19th Division during the Gallipoli Campaign.
Vietnam War veteran John Tingiri fought in 1967 when he was 21 years old.
He also spoke of the difficulty of returning to Aussie shores.
“It was an experience that I never dreamt it would be,” he said.
“You responded to what was in front of you.”
Mr Tingiri said he returned from war suffering from a paralysed lung and diaphragm.
“We suffer from a lot of things,” he said.
‘Time of reflection’ in the Tweed
Richmond MP Justine Elliot paid tribute to Vietnam War veterans during the midmorning service at Chris Cunningham Park, Tweed Heads, which was well attended despite patchy rain.
“We recognise this year marks 50 years since the Vietnam War,” she said.
“Futures were robbed and lives were changed
“To each and every one of our Vietnam veterans, we thank and honour you.”
Ex-serviceman Brendan Maxwell said Anzac Day was a “time of reflection to recognise and honour the servicemen and women”.
“To value the freedoms we take for granted in this great nation,” he added.
“This should be a time for the community to come together and truly think about what our Australian values are.”
Major Callum Waite said it was “important to remember the sacrifices that have been made before us and to honour that sacrifice so we don’t repeat the same mistakes”.
“The more people that attend these Anzac Day events, the better we can educate our young people on the Anzac spirit,” he said.
David Sturmer said it was “ important to appreciate those who took the ultimate sacrifice”.
“People should learn to respect what other people have given to this country,” he said.
Tweed pays tribute to young veteran killed by explosive
Residents of the Tweed have taken to social media in droves to remember the late Private Nathan Bewes.
The 23-year-old Murwillumbah man with the Brisbane-based 6th Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment was killed by an improvised explosive device while serving with the 1st Mentoring Task Force on July 9, 2010.
A post about Mr Bewes was published by Trish Webster on the popular Murwillumbah Matters Facebook page on Tuesday morning – and quickly drew hundreds of reactions.
One Murwillumbah woman said she was thinking of Mr Bewes’ parents on Anzac Day.
Ex-serviceman organises mammoth Land Rover expedition
A former navy serviceman of a decade has gathered with mates at Cape Byron to begin The Land Rover 75 Year Trans-Australia Expedition, including mostly ex-services vehicles.
Steve Marshall said on Anzac Day the 6000km trip from the tourist hub to the west coast over a planned 23 days was a tribute to those who have served, and a celebration of 75 years of Land Rover and its military history.
“It’s a salute to the early users, particularly in the Australian Army,” he said.
“Almost all the Land Rover (in the expedition) are ex-army.”
The group arrived at the Byron Dawn Service in convoy.
Mr Marshall said the expedition was being undertaken for charity too.
“We have our freedom in Australia thanks to our service people and Land Rovers which served as Defence vehicles,” he said.
“We are raising funds for Mates4Mates a charity to help our veterans.”
Mr Marshall said organising the expedition was the best thing he could do for his mental health after he was discharged from the navy in 2021.
“I have lived experience with PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), depressive disorder and the Department of Veterans’ Affair process after medical retirement,” he said.
The group enjoyed breakfast at Byron Bay Services Club before visiting Cape Byron Lighthouse to take photos of the cars.
Mr Marshall said the group had raised $7658 out of its $75,000 goal by Tuesday morning.
“I’m really proud to be raising funds for Mates4Mates to help support veterans impacted by service-related injuries and their families,” he said.
Donate by visiting the expedition page online.
Yamba remembers those who gave ‘ultimate sacrifice’
Clarence Valley councillor Karen Toms was at Yamba’s cenotaph to commemorate Anzac Day on Tuesday morning, and said the Dawn Service was beautiful and emotional.
“The sound of the waves on the rocks below, the sun peeking through the clouds, the veterans called to order with medals adorned, the crowd on the hill (and) the stirring sound of the bugle brings a tear to many who’ve come to pay respect and remember those who never came home, (and) to those who did and bear the scars we can’t see,” she said.
“To those Australians who are still deployed around the globe, to the Ukrainians
who are fighting for their country and to those who have died in all wars past and present.
THOUSANDS GATHER ACROSS SYDNEY FOR SERVICES
“Please spare a moment to remember veterans, both men and women, who gave the ultimate sacrifice and fought so we can be free.”
Cr Toms urged all Clarence residents to spare a moment on Anzac Day to remember Australia’s veterans.
Coffs Harbour service draws huge crowd.
Coffs Harbour residents have turned out in force for the city’s Dawn Service at the C.ex Coffs cenotaph.
Photos of the event showed a bustling crowd at the early ceremony, with a march and follow-up service due later in the morning.
’Humble and incessant band of mates’
Hundreds have risen early to mark Anzac Day at the Dawn Service held at Ballina RSL Memorial Park at Ballina on Tuesday morning.
The service was followed by a march along River St to the park later in the morning and further commemorative services began just before 11am.
Ballina RSL vice president Darin Preston said: “Today we gather to honour and remember the brave men and women who have sacrificed for our nation.”
The RSL will be reaching out to a new generation of returning servicemen and women while focusing on the wellbeing of older veterans.
“We will try and help them find that support and sense of community, which we existing members enjoy so much,” Mr Preston said.
Captain Elizabeth Wells of the Army’s 41st Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment addressed those gathered at the service.
“Today is about commemorating those who died in military service,” she said.
“This morning is the 108th anniversary of Gallipoli landing, where soldiers and officers began the 324 day campaign on the cliff face similar to Broken Head (in northern NSW).
“The terrain was not that different from Lennox Head and South Ballina.
“(Gallipoli) has solidified our international reputation as an innovative, humble and incessant band of mates.”
“We acknowledge those who did not come home to a ticker-tape parade. Those who felt abandoned or misunderstood by the Australia that they left behind to defend.”
She said Anzacs were not just people featured in black and white documentaries.
“We are in your community, we are your community.”
Ballina Mayor Sharon Cadwallader attended the ceremony with her family.
She said Anzac Day was special not only as the mayor, but as a family member of many ex-servicemen.
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She wore the medals of her father and stepfather, while her grandchildren wore the medals of their great grand father.
Cr Cadwallader’s father Frank Mattock was a Rat of Tobruk.
Solemn scenes at Lismore Dawn Service
Lismore CBD has been packed with residents who have converged to mark Anzac Day on Tuesday morning.
The service was bigger this year after a smaller showing in 2022 due to record flooding across the Northern Rivers.
Lismore High School continued its tradition of students singing during the service.
A large follow-on service will be held at 9am.
Lismore RSL Sub Branch president Ken Arnett said the Lismore service went well.
“This morning’s service was actually pretty nice,” he said.
“We’re in temporary circumstances still after the flood. Murphy’s Law says something’s going to go wrong and if the worst thing that happens today is the generator fails we’re in good shape.”
The Lismore RSL sub branch office remains a work in progress still after 2022 floods.
We’re operating out of a private home in Lismore for people who are making claims on the Department of Veterans Affairs,” Mr Arnett said.
He said the office at the Memorial Baths being unavailable made it difficult to offer RSL support.
“It makes it so difficult for us to operate and do the our functions,” he said.
“As far as I’m concerned the advocacy service we provide individual soldiers, the social gathering of people is so important. And then of course, the ceremony today, and Remembrance Day being the prime things.”
Mr Arnett said the Northern Rivers has always been a fertile ground for recruitment into the armed services.
Lismore ex-serviceman Ray Walton said: “I come in basically every year to the services and I found this year just to be as good and up there with all the others,” he said.
“I think it was quite a big affair.
“Similarly, (more) people seem to have been coming out because last year was a bit eventful because it was just after the flooding.”
Mr Walton said Anzac Day was important to him as a veteran and because his father served.
He said the tradition “has to be kept alive”.
Veteran Stephen Parry said he thought Anzac Day was “extremely important” and he was pleased to see young people “getting more aware of it”
Lismore RSL sub-Branch member Bernie Kronen spoke of the importance of the occasion.
“I’ve been coming to these for 35 years, but I think this is probably one of the biggest, if not the biggest I think for the Dawn Service,” Mr Kronen said.
He expected another big turnout at services later in the day: “And I think it’s good to see”.
His partner and fellow sub-Branch member Jen Burgess said: “I think it’s great to see people still engaging in this day and age when there’s so much other woke-ness and things around it.”
She believed that the day was “declining” just a few years ago.
“But it’s actually resurrected itself, which is fantastic,” she said.
“We need our cultural heritage and for the young ones to understand what Anzac Day is really all about, and that’s how we got our freedom.”
Grafton marks ‘most sacred day’
A large crowd of young and old filled Memorial Park at Grafton for the annual Anzac Day Dawn Service on Tuesday morning.
The ceremony began as the sun rose at 5:50am with the annual muster and a band of veterans following the sounds of bagpipes.
Clarence MP Richie Williamson, spoke at the service.
“Australians all lest we forget those who were so young and have made us so free,” he said.
“Today is our most sacred day.
“On memorials like this we touch and see the names of service men and women who gave their lives for their country and the people they loved.”
Clarence Valley councillor Peter Johnstone delivered the service address, asking the audience to picture themselves in trenches, in the midst of war.
“This morning’s ceremony is not about the glory of war, neither about triumphalism – it cannot be,” he said.
“Gallipoli, the wellspring of this day, was no triumph – even if it endures as a triumph of the spirit.”
Cr Johnstone said the day was “about remembering our war dead – those tens of thousands of Australians who lie in foreign lands”.
“Every grave represents sacrifice in its saddest form – the death of dreams, of youth,” he said.
“By coming here this morning, by standing quietly and reflecting, we are saying we have not forgotten and we will not forget.”
Before the service came to a close, the hundreds gathered at Grafton’s Memorial Park sang both the National Anthem and God Save the King.
Applause broke out as the emotional Dawn Service came to an end and veterans marched off.
Tweed commemorates ‘incredibly important’ day
A large crowd of hundreds of people have gathered in Tweed Heads to mark Anzac Day this year.
Many families with children and school students attended the Dawn Service at Chris Cunningham Park.
Mayor Chris Cherry was pleased to see the turnout.
“It’s a day that is incredibly important to think about the sacrifice people made and honour it,” she said.
“Today we especially think about the families who have lost loved ones.
“It’s a time we don’t glorify war, but we honour the courage and willingness to stand up for what we believe in”.
Kristine Dinsey said: “To ensure that the younger generations understand what Anzac Day is about it’s really important not to glorify war, but remember the people side of it, particularly for the younger generations”
“It’s a fantastic turnout.
“I’ll march to commemorate those who have suffered a hell of a lot more than me for all the people.”
Victor Kisler said he would be “marching not just for ourselves, (but) for our relatives” and those who served.
“Like every place in Australia we commemorate those who suffered,” he said.
Corporal Scott Paltridge said it was “an honour to support Anzac Day”.
He paid his respects to former servicemen and women and said the local Royal New South Wales Regiment was on the hunt for new members.
Byron Bay Dawn Service praised
Attendees have heaped praise on Byron Bay’s “very short” Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Memorial Gates.
John Main said: “The dawn service was of high quality and there was many people expressing gratitude in the name of freedom.”
“It was very short, we did not get a chance to sing the National Anthem.”
Vietnam War veteran David Lawrence, 74, was on the brink of tears when he spoke about how proud he was to be Australian.
“I’ve been on the parade marshal for the main march. We always have a good roll up for the day and we’ve been blessed with the weather,” he said.
“Keeping the Australian spirit alive.”
“The speakers all did well.”
Mr Lawrence said he was a Vietnam veteran who returned in early 1971.
“And I wear my medals and my late father’s medals,” he said.
Mr Lawrence said he loved to see “the spirit of Australia”.
A breakfast is being held at the Byron Bay Services Club after the service.
The march will start at Apex Park at 10.30am and head to the Memorial Gates, where a service will commence at 10.50am.
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