Anzac Day: Mid West towns to pause Seroja recovery efforts to pay respect to Australia’s war veterans

Many Mid West towns ravaged by cyclone Seroja will take a break from recovery efforts to pay respect to Australia’s war veterans this weekend. Anzac Day dawn services, veterans’ parades, wreath placing and other commemorative activities will take place across the region on Sunday, marking 106 years since Australian and New Zealand forces landed in Gallipoli during World War I. Likened by many to a war zone, Kalbarri will host a dawn service which will be attended by the Australian Army Reserve and other emergency services personnel involved in the cyclone recovery efforts. Kalbarri RSL sub-branch secretary Alex Hack said the event would be “bigger than Ben Hur”. He said the timing of Anzac Day was poignant, as Kalbarri residents would have to draw on the spirit of their veteran ancestors to rebuild their community. “The most prolific historian of the Kokoda campaign, Patrick Lindsay, titled his first book The Spirit of Kokoda, and it is the spirit of Kalbarri that will pull us through and enable us to thrive again,” he said. “It is due entirely to the sacrifice and deaths of those brave diggers that we are able to do it without having to worry about bombs, bullets and disease.” The cyclone-damaged Perenjori Hotel will have been closed for 13 days come Sunday. But the owners have made plans to ensure the pub doors reopen on Anzac Day from noon, even if only for one day, before the clean-up continues. They say the town needs it. Owner Kirk Pohl said the town needed an opportunity to come together after a “funny” and “disjointed” week of cyclone clean-up. “I think it will be a good day for the town. A lot of people are already talking about coming into town for it to catch up and have a bit of a talk,” he said. The pub suffered damage to its roof, but not the bar area. It is still without power, but generators have been organised for the Anzac Day reopening. A live band, barbecue lunch and dinner menu, skimpy barmaids, pool competition and free camping will all be on offer. SERVICES Geraldton — 5.45am veterans and community groups parade before a 6am dawn service at Wonthella Oval. Sausage sizzle after service. RSL members and veterans invited back to Birdwood House for breakfast. The service will also be live streamed. Kalbarri — Dawn service at 6am at the Kalbarri war memorial, followed by a sausage sizzle. Dongara — Dawn service at 6am at Memorial Park. March to Memorial Park from outside the newsagency at 10.40am, followed by an 11am service. Exmouth — Dawn service at 6am at Exmouth Cenotaph. Anzac march at 6.45am. Shark Bay — Dawn service 5.45am at Pioneer Park, 86 Hughes Street Denham. Northampton — March from newsagency to war memorial at 5.45am for a 6am dawn service. Another march from the newsagency will start at 10.45am before an 11am service at the memorial, followed by a luncheon. Carnarvon — Dawn service at 6am at Carnarvon Cenotaph followed by gunfire breakfast at the Gascoyne RSL alfresco area (cost $5). Chapman Valley — The Shire of Chapman Valley will be laying a wreath at the memorial at the cemetery. Perenjori — Service at 8.30am at the town’s war memorial on corner of Fowler and Hesford streets. Sandstone — Service at 11am at Phillip Lefroy Park. Three Springs — March from southern end of town to the Three Springs Cenotaph at 10.30am. Morning tea to follow at the Three Springs Hall. Dandaragan — Service at 8am at Pioneer Park. Cue — Dawn service at the memorial next to the Shire offices at 6.15am, followed by a breakfast. Meekatharra — Dawn service at Paddy’s Flat at 6.15am followed by a trench breakfast. Mount Magnet — Dawn service at Anzac Hall, on the corner of Hepburn and Naughton streets, at 6am followed by breakfast. March at 10.45am from the police station on Richardson Street to Anzac Hall. Yalgoo — Dawn service at 6am at the Shire offices on Gibbons Street. Breakfast afterwards at the local racecourse. Carnamah — March at 7.15am from The Bank Gallery on Macpherson Street to the war memorial for a service to start at 7.30am. Members of the public are invited to lay a wreath. Breakfast at the war memorial will be held afterwards. Mingenew — Dawn service at 6am at the Anzac memorial, Showground Road. Tickets for gunfire breakfast available at Mingenew CRC, Post Office or Mingenew Hotel. Morawa — Service at the Morawa Anzac memorial at 10.45am on Sunday. Jurien Bay — Service at 10.45am at Jurien Bay war memorial. Gunfire brunch afterwards at Jurien Bay Bowling Club. Upper Gascoyne — Service at 11am at the Scott Street Shire offices followed by a gunfire brunch. (Because of construction works, there will be no services at the town memorial).