ANZAC services to go ahead along the Bellarine

ANZAC Day services will go ahead in Ocean Grove as well as several locations across the Bellarine Peninsula with RSL Sub-Branch’s working tirelessly to overcome restrictions on event planning.

Last week the Ocean Grove/Barwon Heads RSL Sub-Branch confirmed it would go ahead with one of its services later this month.

Held in Ocean Grove, the event will include a Dawn Service and mid-morning march leading to a commemorative service in the park.

Secretary Richard Lewis said the branch recognised the importance of honouring veterans however the added logistics of hosting COVID-19 events made it impossible for the branch to stretch its resources to incorporate the separate Barwon Heads service.

“We would normally run them separately, but the Barwon Heads service is done on the street, so you have no way of fencing off an area to give us the confidence of knowing how many people are in attendance,” he said.

The event will be operating under a tier 3 event with a maximum of 1,000 people allowed at both the dawn and commemorative services, while the march will be restricted to veterans and first responders only.

Attendees will be required to register their attendance with sign-in sheets and QR codes set up at various entry points.

“This is very important, and we are lucky enough to be able to go ahead,” Mr Lewis said.

“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes this year, in addition to the COGG paperwork there is also a COVID-19 checklist under state government.”

Mr Lewis said despite releasing the news last week he has already received positive feedback from the community.

“I have been speaking to people and they have been very pleased we are running an event especially after there was nothing last year,” he said.

“We are very lucky across the Bellarine – we have services in Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, Drysdale and Portarlington.

“In the end, it is a community event and that is what it all comes down to.”

This year the RSL is asking Victorians to do three simple things on Anzac Day: honour, commemorate and donate.

The sale of badges will go towards supporting the welfare of veterans and will be available for purchase in the week prior to ANZAC Day from various stalls set up in Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads, as well as the Ocean Grove Newsagency.

The Dawn Service will take place at 6.15am with attendees encouraged to arrive at 5.45am to register their attendance, while the march will leave from The Terrace at 9.45am and lead into the 10am Commemorative Service at the park.

Anzac Day donations can also be made online at anzacappeal.com.au.