Ocean Grove and Barwon Heads Remembrance Day services to go ahead

VICTORIA reaching its 80 per cent double-vaccinated target means that public observances of Remembrance Day in the Bellarine Peninsula can go ahead on Thursday.

The Ocean Grove Barwon Heads RSL will have its usual twin service in both towns to commemorate the end of World War I, at the memorial in Ocean Grove Park next to the sound shelter in The Avenue; and at the memorial in front of the Barwon Heads Community Hall in Hitchcock Avenue.

Both services will start at 10.45am.

Ocean Grove Barwon Heads RSL president Brad Clarke said the sub-branch began selling poppies on November 1.

“It’s been going really well, actually, with all the tourists down from Melbourne.”

He said he was expecting a typically small crowd at this year’s service.

“Remembrance Day is never really a big event, Anzac Day’s the bigger event – probably because Remembrance Day isn’t a public holiday – but we don’t go overboard. We don’t have bands, we just do a service in the park, but it still means a lot to a lot of people.”

Mr Clarke said COVID-19 restrictions meant the sub-branch unfortunately ran out of time to organise a guest speaker.

Following the service, there will be refreshments served at the Ocean Grove Bowls Club.

Mr Clarke said the Ocean Grove Barwon Heads RSL had also started the Bellarine Young Veterans group, which meets once a month, as an offshoot for those who had served in more recent conflicts.

“A lot of the younger veterans are not sure about the RSL. We aren’t having this group to recruit to the RSL, but because of privacy, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defence can’t tell you who’s in your area, and we want to find them and help them.”

For more information, head to the Ocean Grove Barwon Heads RSL website.