Anzac Day Commemoration Service

Our part in remembering

For March Participants:
On arrival, we ask you to park on the SCG (carefully follow the red arrows in, the grass will be wet!) and walk over to the assembly area on the Seaforth Bowls Club Car Park.

Order of march will be Seaforth Primary School flag bearers, service personnel, emergency services, schools, and other community groups.  

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For Ceremony Attendees:

Due to high pedestrian traffic and low light, it's requested that all vehicle traffic park safely just off Palm Avenue and walk into the ceremony site. Not too different from a Mega-Market, but without the stalls. 

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Order of service:
Marching contingent steps off at 0550. 

March concludes at the cenotaph site at 0600.

Ceremonial service begins at 0600.

Expected service conclusion at 0645.

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Seaforth RFS Shed breaky BBQ from 0700. 

Seaforth Bowls Club Bar opens 0700 - hot breakfast for $5.

2-up begins around 0830 - crowd appetite pending.

Barefoot bowls begins from 1000. ​

The ANZACs — short for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps — were formed during the early stages of World War 1 in 1914. As part of the British Empire’s war effort, Australia and New Zealand raised volunteer forces that were combined into a single corps under British command. These troops were largely young men with little formal military experience, drawn from both rural and urban backgrounds, motivated by a mix of patriotism, adventure, and loyalty to the Empire. Training mainly took place in Egypt, where the ANZACs prepared for deployment to the European and Middle Eastern theatres of war.

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The ANZACs are most famously associated with the failed Gallipoli Campaign, which began with a landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula early in the early morning of 25 April 1915. Their objective was to help the Allies secure a sea route to Russia by capturing the Dardanelles from the Ottoman Empire. However, the campaign quickly turned into a brutal stalemate, with ANZAC troops facing steep terrain, well-entrenched enemy forces, and harsh conditions. Despite these challenges, they became known for qualities such as courage, endurance, initiative, and mateship — traits that would later define the “ANZAC spirit.” After eight months of heavy fighting and significant casualties, the campaign was ultimately unsuccessful, and Allied forces were evacuated.

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Following Gallipoli, ANZAC troops continued to serve with distinction on the Western Front in France and Belgium, as well as in the Middle East. They played key roles in major battles such as Fromelles, Pozières, and Villers-Bretonneux, often suffering heavy losses but gaining a reputation as highly effective soldiers. Over time, the term “ANZAC” came to represent not just the original corps, but a broader legacy of service and sacrifice by Australian and New Zealand forces. Today, that legacy is commemorated annually on Anzac Day, reflecting the enduring impact the ANZACs have had on national identity in both countries.

Traditions

Beyond the formal ceremonies, the real ANZAC tradition lives in the everyday culture of the digger—built on shared hardship, humour, and unbreakable bonds. Central to this was mateship: a fierce loyalty where a soldier would put his mate’s life above his own. This spirit carried through everything they did, from sharing a brew in the trenches to checking in on each other under fire. Simple rituals like tea, coffee, and the occasional rum ration helped create moments of normality in chaos—something that still echoes today in the “gunfire breakfast.” Even the wearing of rosemary, a symbol tied to the Gallipoli Peninsula, reflects not just remembrance, but a quiet, personal connection to those who stood shoulder to shoulder in adversity.

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The ANZACs were also defined by their larrikinism and dark humour—an irreverent, often cheeky attitude that pushed back against authority and helped them cope with the realities of war. They joked in the worst conditions, gave each other nicknames, and found ways to laugh when there was little reason to. Games like two-up, played in downtime, weren’t just about gambling—they were about camaraderie, distraction, and keeping spirits high. This ability to balance seriousness with humour remains a distinctly Australian trait, especially in high-pressure environments like the military, emergency services, and remote worksites.

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Underlying it all was a quiet toughness and resilience. ANZAC soldiers endured extreme conditions—heat, cold, hunger, and exhaustion—without complaint, driven by a sense of duty to their mates rather than medals or recognition. They adapted, improvised, and got the job done with whatever they had. That enduring “ANZAC spirit” isn’t just about bravery in battle; it’s about humility, grit, and looking after the person next to you. It’s why these traditions—coffee and rum, larrikin humour, two-up, and mateship—still resonate today, not as relics of the past, but as living parts of Australian identity.