Anzac Day 2025: Diggers honoured at Sydney services
Thousands have gathered in the CBD and across Sydney to remember the service and sacrifice of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and mark the 110 years since the landing at Gallipoli.
NSW
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Under a smattering of rain, thousands gathered at the Cenotaph in Martin Place to remember the service and sacrifice of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and mark the 110 years since the landing at Gallipoli.
As the crowds stood to welcome Governor of NSW Margaret Beazley, the rain stopped, the skies clearing for the service.
The reverent silence was broken only by the crinkle of plastic ponchos, a comfort Anzacs went without.
It began at 4:30am, the time the ANZACS landed at Gallipoli.
Our dwindling veterans, now a rarity, proudly wore their their war medals. Sound effects of marching soldiers, a tribute to the ANZACS we have lost, were played to symbolise the ANZACs joining the solemn event.
The premier read poem Salute, by Sydney Napier. The reverent silence was broken only by the crinkle of plastic ponchos.
As the last post played and the service drew to a close, the skies opened and rain began to fall.
For Lachlan and Emily Cafe, Anzac Day is a chance to remember their late father, Sergeant Peter Jon Cafe, a decorated member of the Second Commando Regiment, who served in East Timor, Cambodia, Afghanistan and Iraq.
Standing alongside their mother, Gwen Cherne, National Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner, they proudly wore her late husband and father’s medals.
“Anzac Day means we can honour our dad in a way that he would be proud of us for,” Emily said.
“We can be around people who have had their family pass away who served in the army,” said Lachlan.
He said he wants young kids like himself on Anzac Day to know that “some people don’t have their families.”
“They should try and love care for people around them and this is a day we should celebrate,” Lachlan said.
Young veteran Sam Willmott attended the service with his wife and 6-month-old baby girl.
“ANZAC Day is to be Australians. Australians are born out of Anzac Day, it’s really special to be here 110 years on from the landing in Gallipoli. For me it signifies the service that those men and women from 110 years gave, as well as current veterans,” he said.
RSL NSW President Mark Bainbridge praised Australians for attending the Anzac Dawn service.
“I was very impressed with the community turn out today. It went fantastic we had an amazing turn out even with the weather. Fortunately the rain held off until the very last minute. I hope it holds out for the march as well,” Mr Bainbridge said.
“It’s incredibly important that [veterans] come and join in where they can,” he said.
He said Anzac means something different for everyone but it is about “thanking our service men and women”.
“Personally I think about my mates I have lost in combat and my mates I have lost to suicide. It is a very special day.”
CANBERRA
At the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, approximately 23,000 people attended the morning’s dawn service which began with the playing of a didgeridoo by Flight Lieutenant with the Royal Australia Force and Wiradjuri man James Evans.
It was followed by a hymn and a brief address by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
“As the dawn is even now about to pierce the night, so let their memory inspire us to work for the coming new light into the dark places of the world.”
The proceedings included traditional elements such as the sounding of The Last Post, a minute’s silence, and the laying of wreaths at the Stone of Remembrance.
Charlie Barry, 23, was one person in the crowd of many who has a deeply personal connection to the day.
“The day is very sentimental to me as I get to wear the medals of my grandfather, who passed away about a year ago,”
“We used to always attend the ANZAC Dawn Service together so personally this is a really special way I can still feel connected to him and remember him.”
Ms Barry said her family has a long tradition of military service and has been going to the Dawn service throughout primary and high school, as well as her university degree in Canberra.
“I have had many grandparents, uncles and great-grandparents serve in the Army, so this is a day where I can express how proud and grateful I am for their service.”
Ms Barry, whose family has a long tradition of military service, believes young Australians should see the day as more than just a public holiday.
“Without a doubt I think young people should definitely attend,” she said.
“Especially if you’re going to enjoy the public holiday at your local pub playing two-up with your mates—I think it’s disrespectful to not pay your respects beforehand.
This morning’s ceremony at the Australian War Memorial also featured a tribute and march to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and women.
Ms Barry stated how she finds this aspect to be “really impactful”, as it “allows for further reflection and gratitude towards all Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander service people and families...another aspect that has been historically under-recognised”
“I don’t see a reason why I’d ever stop, attending the Anzac Dawn service is one of the most rewarding activities I complete throughout the year.”
NORTH BONDI
The North Bondi Dawn Service kicked off at 6am sharp and drew a large crowd.
Onlookers clutched their coffee cups to keep warm while Attorney-General’s Department Secretary Commander Katherine Jones stepped onto the podium to lead the ceremony.
Umbrellas were briefly drawn while it sprinkled and waves could be heard crashing against rocks in the distance.
Prayers were read out to remember the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who faithfully served the country 110 years ago.
Former Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said it is important to be as committed to the national defence today as the soldiers were in 1915.
“Anzac Day, our most solemn day, is as much about the future as it is about the past,” he said.
State Planning Emergency Unit manager Michael Bray told NewsLocal he has been in the service for 35 years.
Mr Bray said Anzac Day is a special time to remember our relatives who served the country.
“It’s probably the most significant day on the Australian calendar,” he said.
BATEMANS BAY
On the state’s south coast in Batemans Bay, hundreds of people joined together at the foreshore and war memorial.
Year 12 Batemans Bay High School students and school captains, Emma O’Neil and Leah Rigby, attended to lay a wreath on behalf of their school.
Ms O’Neil said she was proud to do so at such an event.
“It’s really important to honour the AnzacS, especially as the younger generation,” she said.
“It means that they won’t be forgotten and we can continue to honour them.”
Ms Rigby agreed, noting she “loved” seeing the community come together to honour Australian and New Zealand soldiers.
“It’s a day of remembrance and seeing the whole community come out together so early to honour everyone is really awesome,” she said.
Batemans Bay’s service - which kicked off at 5.50am and concluded at 6.20am - was also attended by state Bega MP, Dr Michael Holland, NSW Police representatives, Batemans Bay Soldiers Club CEO Paul Biddlestone, and many other community representatives, all laying wreaths in honour of the fallen.
Lismore’s Anzac Day commemorations were marked by heartfelt stories and reflections from veterans and their families.
Retired veteran “Arthur” recounted his time working at the Aviation Center in Queensland during World War II.
“Some of our blokes went over, but because I had a trade, I got sent up to work,” he said, highlighting the diverse roles Australians played during the war.
He also shared a unique perspective on the aftermath of the war, recalling how “half our blokes went over to help pack up.”
He got asked by his boarding family’s son Nick if he wanted a jeep – all he had to do was go into the jungle with some petrol and drive it out. Arthur said there were many stories of abandoned military equipment, such as jeeps and trucks, left in the jungles of New Guinea.
LISMORE
Despite the rain in Lismore, the Anzac Day event drew a large crowd, reflecting the enduring significance of the Anzac tradition.
“I’m glad to see the Anzacs tradition being taught in schools,” he said, noting the positive shift in awareness over the past two decades.
His reflections, alongside those of others, served as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by past generations and the importance of preserving their legacy.
Originally published as Anzac Day 2025: Diggers honoured at Sydney services
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