Anzac Day dawn service at Georges Heights slammed as an ‘absolute disgrace’ and ‘bloody awful’ by attendees: Mosman Council steps in

COMMENTS describing an Anzac Day dawn service in Sydney as ‘bloody awful’, ‘uninspiring’ and an ‘absolute disgrace’ have forced the council to step in to prevent it happening again.

Mosman's Dawn Service

‘ABSOLUTE disgrace’. ‘Great disappointment’. ‘Uninspiring’. ‘Bloody awful’. Although not words usually used to describe an Anzac Day dawn service, these are some of the comments made by those who flocked to Georges Heights Parade Ground in Mosman on April 25.

The greatest number of complaints were aimed at an inefficient speaker system, the use of a recording of the Last Post and paltry parking options.

Also disappointing the crowd of more than 5000 was a temporary memorial made of cardboard and a bloke manning the sausage sizzle, who chatted throughout the whole service.

There was a record crowd at Georges Heights Parade Ground for the service.

Mosman’s deputy mayor Roy Bendall is now pushing for the council to lend a much-needed hand to make sure next year’s offering is vastly improved.

And the Mosman RSL Sub-Branch, which is responsible for organising the event, will take all the help it can get.

“We would welcome Mosman Council’s help with open arms, and anybody else who wants to throw their hand up,” vice president Peter Reid said this week.

This is only a temporary structure, believed to be made of cardboard.

HMAS Penguin was well represented.

Mr Bendall presented a notice of motion at Tuesday evening’s council meeting calling for the council to work with the sub-branch, HMAS Penguin and other relevant groups to ensure “adequate services and logistics are provided”.

The motion, which noted the council had no intention of taking over the event but merely providing support to the sub-branch, was passed unanimously.

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There is plenty of room for improvement for next year.

“Being the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing this year, we had an opportunity to beautifully showcase the Anzac spirit and we missed it,” he said.

“I think we are going to struggle to get the children and their families back next year unless we do something to improve the service.

“I don’t understand why we aren’t already throwing resources at this but it’s critical we start, and it’s also important we work together.”

People did whatever they could to hear and see the proceedings.

Mr Bendall said a live bugle player and amphitheatre-style standing room was vital for next year’s service.

“It might be that we need to move the service somewhere else — the Rotunda at Balmoral would be my pick,” he said.

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The Mosman RSL Sub-Branch has admitted the crowd was underestimated.

Mr Reid admitted the service was plagued by a number of issues and said the crowd had been grossly underestimated by organisers.

“I have not heard one person speak well of the service, which is incredibly sad,” Mr Reid said.

“The future of Anzac Day rests with the kids and if they can’t hear or see what is going on, they won’t be interested.

“Something has got to be done.”

These war veterans travelled all the way from Queensland to attend the service.

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