Each year on 25 April we remember the service men and women who have served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations in the name of Australia and New Zealand. We mark the day with a national public holiday and, like the Good Friday and Christmas Day holidays, most stores and businesses are shut for the day.
You may find the following resources helpful to convey to kids an understanding of why we commemorate the day.
- ANZAC Day Commemoration Committee – Classroom Activities
- Dept of Veterans’ Affairs ANZAC Day kitbag
- ANZAC War Memorial – How to make a paper poppy guide
A great way to spend part of your day with the kids will be to get in the kitchen to bake some ANZAC Day cookies. We like this RSL Queensland guide as they very specifically say they are baking the “chewy kind.”
The Department of Veterans’ Affairs also have a series of animated explainer videos that cover poppies, wreaths, memorials, the Last Post and more. You can find them on the DVA website.
Across every capital city and regional centre, dawn services, marches, parades, and other events will be held. EducationDaily has put together this helpful guide to services being held in Australia’s capital cities. For more information on services away from the capital cities, we recommend checking the RSL Australia website for a service closest to you.
Canberra
Dawn service
The Australian War Memorial is the focal point of commemorative services in Australia. Its dawn service starts at 5:30am. The Canberra Times has a helpful guide on public transport options, including eligibility for free travel to services.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Veterans and Services Association Commemorative Ceremony will start at 7am.
The Dawn Service will be livestreamed and broadcast on the ABC. You can watch it here:
RSL ACT Branch Veterans’ March
The ACT Branch of the Returned and Services League of Australia Veterans’ March will take place at the Parade Ground of the Australian War Memorial. It starts at 9.30am and is expected to run for 90 minutes. Note that unlike other years, there will not be a broadcast of the ceremony.
The Last Post Ceremony
This is a free, ticketed event staged at 4:30pm.
Sydney
Dawn service
The service runs from 4:20am at Martin Place in the Sydney CBD. Three viewing areas will be available in Martin Place outside Challis House, George Street, and between Pitt Street and Castlereagh Street. For each viewing area, seating and standing room space will be available until capacity is reached. You can find more information at RSL NSW.
ANZAC Day March
The parade begins at 9am at the intersection of Elizabeth Street and Martin Place. It finishes at Liverpool Street at approx 12.30pm. Afterwards, a commemoration service will be held by The Pool of Remembrance at the Hyde Park Anzac Memorial at 12.30pm.
The order of the march will be:
- Royal Australian Navy
- Australian Army
- Royal Australian Air Force
- British and Commonwealth Forces
- Civilians in support of Australian Troops
- Descendants of Australian veterans
- Allies
Melbourne
Dawn service
The service at the Shrine of Remembrance will be held from 5:30am and will finish at 6:30am. At the conclusion, the Shrine of Remembrance will open to the public for general viewing. Additional public transport will be made available to get attendees to the event. You can plan your journey on the PTV website.
A livestream of the Dawn Service can be viewed here:
ANZAC Day March
The march begins at 8:30am with vehicles carrying the first veterans down the March route, with the remainder of the march starting at 9am. The march is expected to end at around midday with attendees able to watch the march from Swanston Street (near Federation Square) and down St Kilda Road to the Shrine of Remembrance. More information, including the march order, can be found at RSL Vic.
A livestream of the March can be viewed:
Brisbane
Dawn service
The service will run from 4.28am to 6.30am at the Shrine of Remembrance at Anzac Square in the Brisbane CBD. People seeking to attend are advised to arrive by 3:30-4am. Buses and trains will be put on to service most lines and routes to get attendees there. You can find plan your journey via the Translink website.
ANZAC Day Parade
A parade will be held on Adelaide Street (between George and Creek streets) from 9:45am to 12:30pm. Marching in the parade will be former and current Australian Defence Force veterans and other groups.
Tours
After the parade concludes, Brisbane City Council greeters are providing tours of Brisbane noting the city’s ANZAC heritage. Tours begin at 12:30pm. You can find more information on the BCC website.
Adelaide
Dawn Service
The main Dawn Service will be held at the SA National War Memorial, starting at 6:00 am. Additional public transport has been put on to get attendees to and from the Dawn Service. You can plan your journey on the Metro Adelaide site.
ANZAC Day March
RSL SA on their website are very specific to note that it is staging a march and not a parade. A statement of “march principles” can be read on its website.
The march commences at 9:30am from the North Terrace/Gawler Place intersection. A very helpful guide on where to watch the march and the march order can be downloaded from the RSL SA website.
Perth
Dawn Service
The Dawn Service starts at 5:30am and concludes at 7am, taking place at the State War Memorial in Kings Park. Additional train and bus services will be put on for attendees. You can plan your journey on the TransPerth website.
ANZAC Day March
Starting at 9am (and running until 11am), the March begins at St Georges Tce. You can find a list of the order of the March online.
All-Abilities Sunset Service
Starting at 4:45pm, the ceremony offers additional accessibility measures including Audio Description (for people who are blind or vision impaired), Assistive Listening (for people using Bluetooth hearing aids) wheelchair access, Auslan, Quiet Zone, and ACROD parking. Note that bookings are essential for the Audio Description and Assistive Listening services.
Darwin
The Dawn Service begins at 6am on The Cenotaph, The Esplanade, followed by the ANZAC Day march from 9am. You can see the March as it moves from:
- The Esplanade
- Along Knuckey St
- Right into Cavenagh St
- Dismiss at Bennett St/Civic Centre area.
