Coast gears up for Anzac Day

Sub-Branches all over the Central Coast are gearing up for this year’s Anzac Day services, with thousands of people expected to participate regionwide.

One of the Coast’s largest and best attended dawn services is conducted by each year by Terrigal-Wamberal RSL Sub-Branch on the beachfront.

Sub-Branch President Scott Warr said organisers were once again expecting big crowds on April 25.

“We’ve been doing school visits in the lead-up to Anzac Day and will do more once school resumes,” Warr said.

“It’s not about glorifying war, it’s about honouring the spirit of the Anzacs – their courage determination, mateship, positive attitude and humour.

“They were a little bit cheeky and pretty laid-back and that’s a great example for all of us today.

“As we face such things as the global situation and rising cost of living, we are reminded of all the Anzacs went through for eight months and how they managed to come out of it and go on to do great things.

“That Anzac spirit can be carried through as the ethos of what it is to be a modern day Australian – meeting the challenges in life head-on and doing your very best.

“It’s also important for the children to be reminded of what our servicemen and women have gone through to give us the life we have today.”

Warr said the dawn service at Terrigal Beach would be quite a spectacle.

With marchers leaving Terrigal Police Station at 5.15am, the service will begin at the beachfront cenotaph at 5.30am.

“We will have 8-10 surf boats sitting around The Skillion as the service begins,” Warr said.

“During the service, we will look out as they row into shore and land on the beach.

“They will let off flares as they approach to symbolise the landing at Gallipoli and when they land one of the captains will come up the beach to lay a wreath.

“It’s all a bit symbolic – the surf boats are not unlike the launch craft used at Gallipoli.”

Adding to the spectacle will be Peter Franks of National Helicopters at Cooranbong, who will fly an Iroquois military helicopter overhead during the service, weather permitting.

“He will take off from Warnervale airport and fly over, reminiscent of the helicopter rescues executed in wartime,” Warr said.

The sub-branch will also hold an 11am service at Breakers.

The Gosford march will see something different this year, with Gosford RSL Sub-Branch President Greg Mawson fronting it aboard a motorcycle.

Recovering from an extended period of ill health, Mawson wasn’t about to miss out but was doubtful he could make the distance walking.

Marchers will assemble in Kibble Park at 10.30am for the march down Mann St to the 11am service at the cenotaph.

This will follow a 6am dawn service at the cenotaph.

Other Anzac Day services around the region will include:

Copacabana – dawn service on the waterfront at 5.30am; Davistown – dawn service at 6am at Davistown RSL Club; Doyalson – dawn service at 5.30am at the Doylo club and main service at 9am; and an 11am service at Empire Bay.

The flag will be lowered at Hardys Bay Club at 6am followed by the main Anzac Day service at 11am then the raising of the flag to full mast at 3pm.

Ourimbah RSL Club will host a dawn service at 5.30am followed by a march leaving from Yates Rd at 1.30pm for a 2pm service at the club.

At Terrigal assemble at 5am outside the police station for a march to the cenotaph for 5.30am dawn service, and a morning service will be at Breakers at 11am.

The Entrance dawn service will get underway at the cenotaph at 5.30am and the march will leave Short St at 11.50am for the noon service at the cenotaph.

A dawn service will be at the cenotaph at The Ari Toukley starting at 5.20am followed by a march from Toukley Village Green departing at 9.45am and a morning service on arrival at the club.

There will be a dawn service at 5am at Woy Woy and a morning service at 10.30am.

A dawn service at 5.45am will be held at Club Wyong then a memorial service at 10am in Wyong Town Place followed by a march to Club Wyong.

Road closures will be in place at various locations to accommodate Anzac Day services and marches.

For full details go to www.centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/anzacday