Communities across the Cape will wake before dawn to honour the sacrifices of military personnel this Anzac Day. Photo: Supplied.
The sacrifice of former and serving military personnel will be honoured when Cape York pauses to commemorate Anzac Day next Saturday.
Communities across the region are encouraged to pause and reflect when a range of events take place on 25 April in remembrance of the courage, endurance and mateship of those who served.
Weipa’s commemoration will begin with the traditional march from the skate park to Memorial Square for the dawn service at 5:30 am, followed by the gunfire breakfast open to all with a gold coin donation, and then the annual two-up showdown at the Weipa Bowls Club.
Weipa RSL sub-branch president Lloyd Williams said he hoped to see more community members stick around for the gunfire breakfast this year.
“Being a Saturday and there’s no long weekend involved, I’m hoping that we do get a good turnout,” he said.
“Every year, we generally get a good turnout for the dawn service, but not a lot of people hang around afterwards, which is a tad disappointing.
“We’d just like to see people there with long arms and short pockets. We do spend money we raise on the community.”
Ms Williams said it was positive to see young people from Western Cape College and St Joseph’s Parish school carry on the legacy each year, ensuring that the significance of the day was not forgotten over generations.
“Depending on teachers and students and what’s available, we’ve had choirs sing for us, we’ve had school captains read a couple of poems for us, and kids come and lay poppies and wreaths and get involved; it’s good to see,” he said.
Cooktown’s day will begin at 6 am at William Daku Park for the dawn service, before the RSL Memorial Club cooks get busy in the kitchen for the gunfire breakfast.
35 Squadron will arrive in town on 24 April to speak to students at Cooktown State School and Endeavour Christian College, after which they will join the whole-of-community commemoration on 25 April.
