Geelong Anzac Day services draw thousands of onlookers to CBD
More than a dozen Anzac Day services and marches were held across the Geelong region on Monday with thousands of spectators paying tribute.
Geelong
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Thousands of spectators attended Geelong’s Anzac Day march on Monday, honouring the sacrifice of Australia and New Zealand’s service men and women.
More than a dozen services and marches were held across the region on Monday, with commemorations beginning with Dawn Services at Geelong, Torquay, Lara, Ocean Grove, Portarlington – where large crowds were treated to clear skies at dawn.
The Geelong march and service then drew thousands of onlookers to the CBD about 11am, with crowds lining Malop St and applauding as veterans, family members and serving men and women marched to Johnstone Park.
Highton 91-year-old Milton Hoe, a Korean War navy mechanic, marched alongside the hundreds of veterans at the Anzac Day Parade despite previously saying 2021 would likely be his last – having marched almost every year since 1953.
Mr Hoe, who has Parkinson’s, dementia and PTSD, said it was “absolutely wonderful” to march alongside his grandson Daniel McKeown during the parade.
“For Daniel to be able to show the respect that he has for me for what I did, it’s wonderful that you can have people like your descendants to follow in these traditions,” Mr Hoe said. “I keep saying this, but now I’m 91, I’ll be 92 next year and I’m just trying to find a stop-off point when I stop doing it. While I can … I’d like to keep marching.”
Daniel said it was a “great honour” to march with his Pop.
Geelong’s Don Shields, who retired as a Major after 21 years in the military, marched alongside his son Euan – who wore them medals of his great-great-grandfather from WWII.
“It’s the first time he’s marching,” Mr Shields said. “They’re the medals of my grandmother’s father, so that’s his great-great-grandfather. He was in the Second (World) War, we saw his grave in Singapore.
“The importance of today is to honour those who’ve made a sacrifice and served our country, and honour their memory which is the most important thing, and to keep this tradition alive.”
Former South Barwon state Liberal MP Andrew Katos delivered a message from the Prime Minister at the Johnstone Park ceremony.
“Our service men and women risk all for our country, because they love Australia and understand it,” Mr Katos said. “Today, we remember those who fought for a common purpose, as Australians, one and free.
“We rededicate ourselves to restrengthening the peace they delivered, and protecting the spirit and vibrancy of our democracy. Lest we forget.”
Where in the Geelong region is hosting Anzac Day services
Anzac Day services are rolling out across Geelong and the Bellarine to commemorate the April 25 memorial day.
Here’s what’s happening across the region.
– Dawn Service at Apollo Bay War Memorial at 6am
– March starting from outside Commonwealth Bank, Apollo Bay at 10.40am
– Commemorative service at Apollo Bay War Memorial at 11am
– March Step Off at Memorial Hall, McMillan Street in Anglesea at 9.45am
– Commemorative service by Anglesea RSL at 30 Murray Street at 10am
– Commemorative service at Balliang Memorial Hall, 1265 Bacchus Marsh-Balliang Road at 11am
– Dawn Service at Beeac War Memorial at 6am
– Commemorative service at Beech Forest War Memorial at 11am
– March commencing at the corner of Hitchcock Ave and Bridge Rd to the Barwon Heads Community Hall at 8.45am
– Commemorative service at the Barwon Heads Community Hall Cenotaph at 9am
– Dawn Service and laying of floral tributes at Bannockburn Monument (Former Shire Hall) on High Street at 6am
– Dawn Service at Corindhap Memorial Park at 6am
– Dawn Service at Colac Shrine Memorial Square at 6am
– March from Gellibrand St to St Mary’s Catholic Church, 1 Gellibrand Street at 10.30am
– Mass at St Mary’s Catholic Church, 1 Gellibrand Street at 11am
– March to Colac Shrine, Memorial Square at 11.45am
– Commemorative service at Colac Shrine Memorial Square at noon
– Service at Cressy Aerodrome, 175 Aerodrome Rd at noon
– March Form up Princess St near Eversley St to the Cenotaph at 10.30am, followed by a Commemorative Service at the Cenotaph, High Street.
– Pre-Dawn Service at Geelong Peace Memorial, Johnstone Park at 4.15am
– Dawn Service at Eastern Beach at 5.50am
– Dawn Service at Boer War Memorial, corner of Kilgour St and Latrobe Terrace at 6.30am
– Gunfire Breakfast with Geelong RSL, 50 Barwon Heads Rd at 7.30am
– Anzac Day Mass at St Mary of the Angels, Geelong at 9.30am
– March starting at the corner of Yarra and Malop St to Johnstone Park at 11am
– Commemorative service at Johnstone Park at 11.45am
– March Form Up at Inverleigh RSL Building, 10/6 West St at 9.15am
– Commemorative service at the Inverleigh Monument at 9.30am
– Commemorative address at Inverleigh Public Hall at 10.15am
– Pre-match service at Inverleigh versus Bannockburn match at Inverleigh Sports Complex, 20 Railway St at 12.15pm
– Commemorative service at Leopold War Memorial Corner of Stringer Ln and Melaluka Rd at 8am
– Dawn Service at Memorial Park Mountjoy Pde, followed by Gunfire Breakfast at the Bowls Club at 7am
– Commemorative service at Memorial Park Mountjoy Pde at 11am
– Dawn Service at Lara RSL Hall, 2 Rennie St at 6am
– Service at Meredith Memorial Hall, followed by a march around the block and a wreath laying service at the Cenotaph in front of the Meredith Memorial Hall, starting from 10am
– Dawn Service Mass at St Thomas Aquinas Church, Plume St at 6.30am
– March Form up, corner of Sparks and Melbourne Rd at 9.30am
– Commemorative service at Norlane RSL, Rose Ave at 9.45am
– Commemorative service at Naval Association Club, Skene St, Newtown at 9.30am
– Dawn Service at Ocean Grove Park at 5.45am
– March Form Up outside Coles, The Terrace in Ocean Grove at 9.45am
– Commemorative service at Ocean Grove Park at 10am
– Dawn Service at Portarlington Cenotaph at 6.30am
– March and commemorative service at Portarlington Cenotaph at 11am
– March, with form up outside Point Lonsdale Shops at 8.45am
– Commemorative service at Cenotaph, Kirk Rd at 9am
– Dawn Service at Ocean View Carpark, Southern end of Hesse St at 5.45am
– March form up at Queenscliff Post Office, Hesse St at 10.45am
– Commemorative service at Fort Queenscliff at 11am
– Commemorative service at Rokewood Memorial at 11am
– Service St Leonards Memorial Hall, 1342 Murradoc Rd at 9am
– Commemorative service at Eastern Reserve, Winchelsea at 10.30am
How the Geelong region will mark Anzac Day post-Covid
Thousands of people are expected to remember fallen Anzacs at the region’s first Dawn Service in nearly two years.
Geelong RSL will host full day of events to mark Anzac Day for the first time since the start of the Covid pandemic.
Last year’s local services were cancelled amid fears they could become Covid super spreader events.
In 2021, just 1400 people were allowed to attend the Dawn Service at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne – down substantially from about 25,000 in 2019.
President Andrew Hanns said his sub-branch was looking forward to marking the day in a way that has not been possible for the past two years.
“It’s good, something different than we’ve had for the past couple of years,” Mr Hanns said.
“Last year we had a march but no service, which was just strange, but that’s Covid protocols for you.
“It’s good to be able to come back (this year) and do some services, and meet the older … veterans.
“It’s good to catch up with that generation again, and meet the younger ones coming through.”
Mr Hanns said the commemorative day was important for all community members to recognise.
He said Anzac Day remained a vital way for Australians show respect to those who have served, and who are serving at present.
“That’s what it’s all about,” Mr Hanns said.
“It’s about remembering, pausing, having that minute silence for those who didn’t come home, or those who did come home but with significant injuries.
“It’s also always good to hear from different people… about what Anzac Day means to them.”
Mr Hanns said the Geelong RSL schedule for the day will begin with a Dawn Service at 4.15am, with guest speaker Commander David Murphy.
Commander Murphy will continue on to Norlane for the 9am service, Mr Hanns said.
Geelong RSL have “inherited” the 6am service at the eastern beach, he said, which will include a naval officer as guest speaker.
A breakfast will take place at 7.30am, and a march – expected to have about 100 participants – will start at 11am.
Mr Hanns said there will not be a wreath laying ceremony due to construction works.
The Queenscliff/Point Lonsdale RSL sub-branch will be holding its usual three services for the Borough, at 5.45am, 9am and 11am respectively, with about 500 people anticipated to attend.
Marches will precede the 9am and 11am services.
RSL secretary Tayna McGann said local primary schools will be involved with readings and a child’s perspective included in the services, along with various local volunteer organisations. The mounted police will be included in the marches.
Torquay RSL Sub-branch president Bob Tyler said a Dawn Service would be held at Point Danger at 5.55am, but it would be much smaller than those held in previous years.
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