Bellarine pauses to reflect on Anzac Day

COMMUNITIES across the Bellarine paused on Friday last week for Anzac Day services.

Wet and stormy conditions didn’t dampen the service in Portarlington as the community turned out to reflect on 110 years since the Gallipoli campaign and honour those who served.

Portarlington and St Leonards RSL Sub-branch president Travis Smith said the services went really well.

“We had wet weather in the morning which sort of broke when we did the dawn service at 6.30, we had that break and it went really smooth.

“We had the cracks of lightning go across when we were doing the Ode and the thunder added a little bit of a touch to the event.

“The standout moment was during the Dawn Service when I was looking across the crowd and across the bay there’s this long line of lightning running across the sky, followed by thunder shortly afterwards.”

The sub-branch also held a 9am service in St Leonards, which was also well attended before returning to Portarlington for the march at 11am which concluded with a second service at the Cenotaph.

“They marched around town, and they went really well, and we did the service, really good crowd, good people and a very respectful crowd.”

This year marked Mr Smith’s first Anzac day as president of the Sub-branch, where standing at the podium he was able to witness the march.

“I was really proud of all those people who marched past,” he said.

“It was a very fitting moment there, as first year as president, watching the march go past you rather than being in it was a totally different feel.”

Anzac Day services also took place in Leopold, Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, Drysdale, Barwon Heads and Ocean Grove.