Your Guide To 2021 Anzac Day

April 23, 2021

Anzac Day falls on a Sunday this year – and the public holiday is Monday – but that’s not stopping all the traditional commemorations occurring on April 25.

There’s plenty of opportunities across the local region to honour Australia’s Defence Force veterans … from Dawn Services to marches and cemetery visits.

southburnett.com.au has pulled together a long list of events below.

RSL Queensland is encouraging all Queenslanders to attend a community commemoration, or if that’s not possible “Light Up The Dawn” at 6:00am in their driveways.

The RAAF has scheduled flyovers in the region, with two aircraft taking part at different times (see below). So, don’t be surprised if you see a huge Globemaster transport aircraft or a Super Hornet fighter buzzing your town.

After the Anzac Day commemorations are over, many South Burnett residents will be heading to Wondai Racecourse for the traditional Anzac Day races.

Race 1 is due to jump at 1:30pm.

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Where To See The Flyovers

• Kingaroy – Memorial Park – 12:12pm – C-17A Globemaster III

• Murgon – Gore Street, 12:31pm – F/A-18F Super Hornet

• Wondai – Mackenzie Street – 12:32pm – F/A-18F Super Hornet

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What’s Happening & Where 

This year’s Anzac Day will be especially poignant for veterans of the Afghanistan conflict, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison announcing recently all troops will be withdrawn by September – ending Australia’s longest war which cost 41 Australian lives. 

In the local region, commemorations remembering those lost in all conflicts will be held at:

• Blackbutt-Benarkin will be marking Anzac Day with a Dawn Service at the War Memorial in Coulson Street at 4:27am, which will be followed by a Gunfire Breakfast at the rear of the nearby Radnor Hotel at 6:00am. At 10:45am, there will be a march from Muir Street to the War Memorial, which will be followed by a Commemoration Service at 11:00am, followed by a free sausage sizzle in Les Muller Park courtesy of Blackbutt RSL and the Blackbutt-Benarkin Lions Club, plus two-up games at the Radnor. Note: A special feature of today’s activities will be the unveiling of a plaque to honour the erection of Blackbutt’s War Memorial 100 years ago.

• Bell will be holding an Anzac Day Commemoration Service at the Bell War Memorial at the corner of the Bunya Highway and Dennis Street at 6:00am, followed by a breakfast at the RSL in Ensor Street. Everyone is welcome.

• Boondooma and Durong will hold a commemoration and wreath-laying service at 9:00am at Boondooma Homestead at 8262 Durong-Mundubbera Road.

• Bunya Mountains will hold a commemoration and wreath-laying service at the Lone Pine in the Dandabah camping area at 8:00am.

• Cherbourg will hold a Commemoration March and Service at 8:00am. The march will begin at Barambah Avenue and will be followed by a Commemorative Service at the War Memorial opposite the Ration Shed Museum addressed by guest speaker Joe Flick, and then morning tea at The Ration Shed.

• Cooyar will mark Anzac Day with a march from Cooyar Memorial Hall on the New England Highway at 10:00am to the Cooyar War Memorial further along the highway for a Commemorative Service.

• Goomeri will hold its traditional Dawn Service at 5:15am at the War Memorial Clock on the Burnett Highway. This will be followed by a pilgrimage to the war graves at Goomeri Cemetery in Goomeri West Road at 7:30am (participants should meet at the cemetery gates), and then a March and Service from Dickinson’s Park to the Cenotaph for wreath-laying at 9:45am, followed by a Commemorative Service at the Hall Of Memory in Boonara Street. More details? Phone David on 0427-169-043.

• Hivesville will hold a Dawn Service in Main Street at 5:30am, followed by a community breakfast in Memorial Park opposite the Hivesville Hotel.

• Kilkivan will mark Anzac Day with a Dawn Service at the RSL Memorial Park in Bligh Street at 5.30am. This will be followed by a breakfast further along Bligh Street at Lions Park at 6:00am, and then a march at 10:00am from Memorial Park back to Lions Park for a Commemoration Service at 11:00am which will be followed by a community lunch at Kilkivan Hall around noon.

• Kingaroy will hold a Dawn Service at the rotunda in Memorial Park at 4:28am, followed by a pilgrimage to the War Service Graves at Taabinga Cemetery at 8:00am. At 10:30am, marchers taking part in the annual march should assemble at Kingaroy RSL for an 11:00am march to Memorial Park, where there will be a citizen’s observance at 11:15am.

• Kumbia will mark Anzac Day with its traditional march, which will have a slightly different starting point this year because of traffic management issues. Marchers should assemble at Francis Street near the Kumbia Hotel at 8:45am for a 9:00am step off. The march will be followed by a Commemoration Service at 9:00am.

• Linville will host a Dawn Service for Linville and Moore residents at the Cenotaph in George Street at 5:30am.

• Maidenwell will mark Anzac Day with a QCWA morning tea at Maidenwell Hall at 9:30am followed by a wreath laying at the Maidenwell War Memorial at 10:30am.

• Murgon will hold a rum and milk fellowship in the Diggers Room of Murgon RSL at 4:45am, followed by a Dawn Service at the Murgon War Memorial at 5:30am, and then a Gunfire Breakfast back at the Diggers Room to wrap things up. Later in the morning, marchers in the annual Anzac Day parade should assemble in the RSL’s rear car park at 9:00am for a 9:45am step off. The parade will be followed by a Commemoration Service and wreath laying at the Memorial at 10:00am, and then refreshments in the Diggers Room. Joseph Thompson will be this year’s special guest speaker at the service. More details? Phone Ritchie on 0427-133-408.

• Nanango will hold a fellowship for RSL Sub-branch members and their families, visiting veterans and ex defence personnel at Taras Hall at 5:00am, then a march from the RSL to the Memorial at 5:20am, where a Dawn Service will be held at 5:30am. This will be followed by a gold coin donation Gunfire Breakfast in Taras Hall, and then a pilgrimage to the Veterans Graves at Nanango Cemetery at 7:00am. After this, participants in the annual Anzac Day march should assemble in Howlett Lane at 8:15am for an 8:45am step off, followed by a Commemoration Service at the War Memorial at the corner of Drayton and Henry Streets at 9:00am.

• Proston will hold a Dawn Service at the Proston Cenotaph in Collingwood Street at 5:30am.

• Widgee will hold a Dawn Service at 6:00am at the Widgee Cenotaph, followed by a 7:00am breakfast at the Memorial Hall, and then an Anzac Day Parade leaving from principal’s residence next to Widgee School at 8:30am. The main commemoration service will commence immediately after the parade ends.

• Wondai will hold a Dawn Service at 5:00am, which will be accompanied by a march from the Post Office along Mackenzie Street to the War Memorial outside Wondai Town Hall. At 8:00am there will be a pilgrimage to the War Service Graves at the Wondai Cemetery, and this will be followed at 10:00am by a second march from Wondai Post Office along Mackenzie Street to the War Memorial for a Commemoration Service and wreath laying.

• Wooroolin will hold its traditional Anzac Day March along the Bunya Highway at 11:00am followed by a Commemoration Service at the Wooroolin Memorial Hall at 11:15am. This year, guests at the service will need to swipe a QR code at the Hall as part of pandemic precautions, and afterwards the Wooroolin QCWA will be offering free tea, coffee and Anzac Biscuits under the gazebos in front of their rooms opposite the Hall.

• Yarraman will hold a Dawn Service at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park at 6:00am, followed by a gold coin donation breakfast at the Yarraman Memorial Hall in Browne Street, and then a pilgrimage to the War Service Graves at 7:30am. At 10:30am, marchers will assemble in John Street before stepping off at 10:45am to attend the main Commemoration Service at the Cenotaph at 11:00am. This will be followed by a gold coin donation lunch at Yarraman’s Memorial Hall from noon.