General News
25 April, 2024
Hundreds mark Anzac Day in Maryborough
The mid-morning service, which commenced at 10.45 am, saw wreath laying, guest speakers and performances from the city brass band of The Last Post and The Reveille
In what is a special occasion every year, locals assembled upon McLandress Square to attended an emotional AnzacDay service yesterday which admired the bravery and heroism of our armed forces.
Following on from the Dawn Service which began at 5.45 am, hundreds marched along High Street at 10.30 am lead by Darryl Wagstaff and the Maryborough City Brass Band, followed by local veterans and their families, emergency services, Scouts, Girl Guides and local schools.
The mid-morning service, which commenced at 10.45 am, saw wreath laying, guest speakers and performances from the city brass band of The Last Post and The Reveille.
One of the many guest speakers was local business owner and veteran Rick Townsend, who joined the Navy when he was 17 in 1997, was posted to the HMAS Success for peacekeeping efforts in East Timor in 1999 and served in Iraq in 2003.
Mr Townsend said he was thankful for the opportunity to speak and be a part of preserving the tradition of Anzac Day.
“Maryborough always does a really good job, I have noticed with a lot of other small towns they have sort of lost their history a little bit with Anzac Day, the service here is really traditional which is good,” he said.
“The day has changed a bit for me because I used to drink a lot and I don’t drink anymore, but it is always about the memories and catching up with mates, unfortunately I am not with my mates today but usually it is just a big catch up.
“For me the importance of Anzac Day is remembering — if you don’t remember, you are destined to forget and that is dangerous — you need to remember.”
Other guest speakers included Central Goldfields Shire Council mayor Liesbeth Long, students Matilda Davis and Khoa Do, Member for Western Victoria Joe McCracken and Maryborough RSL sub-branch members Roy ‘Shady’ Lane and Danny McIver.
Mr McIver said he is continously grateful for the event and is glad to see the considerable turnout for the service, with over 300 people attending.
“The event was wonderful, I think that it is a great service, everybody has done their bit on the committee and all the local people coming out is amazing,” he said.
“The highlight of the day is getting back together with all my veteran mates and being able to put this service on for the Maryborough community.
“Just seeing all of these wonderful young people involved is amazing and if we can keep that going the job will be done.”
