Geoff Benson announces last Anzac Day Dawn Service at Queensland Country Women’s Association hall memorial in Upper Coomera
Northern Gold Coast residents have started a petition to help save a long-running Anzac Day Service, saying the decision to can the event is “un-Australian”.
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Northern Gold Coast residents have started a petition to help save a long-running Anzac Day Service, saying the decision to can the event is “un-Australian”.
Close to 100 people attended the Queensland Country Women’s Association Dawn Service in Upper Coomera on Thursday morning.
Memorial co-ordinator Geoff Benson announced during the service that it would cancelled from next year due to “too many families attending”.
He said concerns were raised that it was dangerous for people to be on the road, despite police directing pedestrian traffic.
A petition was started only hours later in a bit to save the Maudsland Rd service, and by Friday morning it had more than 300 signatures.
Ava Abbott was among those who signed the petition on Friday morning, saying The Dawn Service “meant so much” to their community.
“To cancel something that is seeing growing support makes no sense,” she said.
Minutes after the service on Thursday, Oxenford resident Blair Wilkes raised the matter with Division 2 councillor Naomi Fowler.
Mr Wilkes said he had attended the service for the last 14 years and it was “always managed well, rain, hail or shine”.
“News of this cancellation has rocked the attendees and has brought many of them to tears,” he said.
“Losing this service is not acceptable and should be protected.”
Other residents were “shaken” by the decision and labelled it “un-Australian”.
Ms Fowler told the Bulletin she was only recently informed that the community-led Dawn Service was cancelled.
“(I) only just became aware of the issue (and) I have yet to engage in discussions with the event organiser,” she said.
“I intend to meet with the event organiser to explore potential solutions for the community moving forward.”
The Bulletin reached out to QCWA for a comment.
‘My heart sunk’: Why Anzac Service has been canned
Residents are in “disbelief” after a shock announcement that an Anzac Day Dawn Service running for 17 years on the Gold Coast was held for the last time.
About a hundred people gathered for the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Queensland Country Women’s Association (QCWA) hall memorial in Upper Coomera.
The forecast end of the service was unrelated to the pending relocation of the Upper Coomera cenotaph from Tamborine Oxenford Road to Tallowwood Park.
Maudsland resident Chele Drewes said she was in shock after The Dawn Service co-ordinator Geoff Benson announced it would be the last service for the area after 17 years.
Ms Drewes – who took her mum to the service – said her “heart sunk” when she heard the news and the crowd was “in disbelief”.
“It is such a beautiful service in honour of our soldiers who, if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t have the freedom today,” she said.
“We’re marching and standing for the last time.”
Mr Benson said the reason the service would be cancelled in future years was because there “was too many families attending”.
“I was told there was too many people attending and they were concerned that people were on the road and it was dangerous despite police attending to pedestrian traffic,” he said.
“We have ensured all community folk are not on the road and are safe.”
On March 24, Mr Benson posted to a Facebook community page which said “due to an outside influence this may well be the last service”.
“(Geoff) announced this morning the service would not go on,” Ms Drewes said.
Mr Benson said the service would be followed by a Gunfire breakfast provided by Helensvale Lions club in the community hall.
Ms Drewes said she was unsure where she would take her mum to attend future Dawn Services on the Coast.
“It was disgusting news to hear on a day we are honouring our Anzacs.”
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