Anzac Day 2020 Dawn Service: how to live stream and take part
Despite social isolation, services will be held countrywide today. Here’s how to watch.
The coronavirus pandemic may have driven Australians into social isolation, but it has not dampened their Anzac spirit.
Traditionally Anzac Day is marked with huge crowds attending Dawn Services and commemorative ceremonies across the country to remember those who have died, served or are still serving in the defence forces. But this year organisers have been forced to think creatively about how Australians can safely commemorate.
The Australian War Memorial’s head of public programs, Anne Bennie, says organising this year’s Dawn Service in the nation’s capital turned into a “seven-day-a-week operation”.
“I hope the nation likes what they see, it looks beautiful when twilight merges into dawn,” Ms Bennie said of the Commemorative Area and Hall of Memory.
“I hope it is really special for everybody we are certainly very proud to deliver it and hope that everybody gets on board, not only to watch, but also to participate.”
Here is a national wrap of Anzac Day services that have been organised across Australia, including links to services that will be live streamed.
National services
The Dawn Service held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra will be closed to the public, but the National Commemorative Service will be broadcast live on the ABC and live-streamed on AWM website.
Watch it tomorrow from 5am AEST here or on the Australian War Memorial’s Facebook page.
For those for whom the dawn service is a little too early, musicians from Australia and New Zealand will perform in the Music from the Home Front concert that will be broadcast from 7.30pm AEST on Channel 9.
Queensland
The Returned and Services League Queensland is spearheading a national campaign called Light up the Dawn.
Instead of visiting war memorials and cenotaphs, the RSL is encouraging everybody to hold their own Anzac Day service in their driveway or on their balconies at 6am on April 25 to honour service men and women by streaming or downloading a commemorative service here.
Queensland Premier Anastasia Palaszczuk has encouraged Queenslanders to pay their respects via the live broadcast. She said a private service would also be held about 4.30am.
“Earlier there will also be a very small service at 4.28am attended by the Governor, the Lord Mayor, the RSL Queensland President and myself as Premier,” she said.
“A symbolic gesture that the people of Queensland are recognising the fallen.”
NSW
While veterans will not walk in the Anzac Day march down Elizabeth Street to Hyde Park this year, a commemorative service will be live streamed from the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park at 10am.
The service will be streamed from the Memorial’s Facebook page and also broadcast on ABC TV.
Victoria
A Dawn Service will be live streamed from the heart of The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne – the Sanctuary.
Although the service will be held behind closed doors, it will be broadcast here from 5.50am AEST.
South Australia
The Adelaide Dawn Service will be closed to the public, but will be live-streamed here from 6am ACST (5.30am AEST).
Tasmania
RSL Tasmania will hold a private service at 11.30am AEST to honour the more than 10,000 ex-service members in the state. Watch it via this link.
Western Australia
A special commemorative service will be held at 6.30am AWST and will feature messages from the Governor of Western Australia Kim Beazley AC and Premier Mark McGowan. The service can be streamed on the Western Australia RSL Facebook page.
Northern Territory
Darwin’s Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis and acting Lord Mayor George Lambrinidis will lay wreaths at the Cenotaph in Bicentennial Park, Darwin at 7am AECT in a private commemoration that will not be live streamed.
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