Willaura residents will once again commemorate Anzac Day as a community after having been deprived of the opportunity in 2020.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Friends of Willaura RSL have organised the town's 2021 service.
The group's chairman Colin Holmes said Anzac Day was of great significance to the Willaura community.
"Generally speaking all the locals are very strong supporters of Anzac Day and paying their respects for the fallen and the people who served the country and are still serving the country," he said.
READ MORE:
"Willaura probably wouldn't have existed if it wasn't for some of the Second and First World War soldiers that have come and stayed in the area.
"We look back at some of the settlers that came here after the second world war, and their families are still here, and they've been involved in our community for many, many years."
"We normally have around 100 or 120 people at the service."
Mr Holmes highlighted the importance of Willaura Primary School students' involvement in the service.
MORE NEWS:
"Their participation in the service is very important," he said.
"They read the Anzac Requiem and the names of the fallen at the service."
The service will feature the Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band, with Commander Mick Brice to attend as guest speaker.
Mr Brice joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1964, serving full-time until 2004, when he became a reservist. His career includes stints as an engineer officer of the HMAS Parramatta and assistant scientific advisor joint warfare at the Defence Trials Directorate in Canberra.
OTHER NEWS:
He is married to Allison Knight, who was born in Willaura.
The service will begin at 9am at Willaura Cenotaph. The Hamilton Caledonian Pipe Band will then lead the group to Willaura Memorial Hall, where the central part of the service will begin at about 9:30am.
The service will then proceed for about an hour and be followed by morning tea.
Mr Holmes said current COVID-19 restrictions would allow the service to "run pretty much as normal," with one of the few requirements being that people sign in as they enter the hall.
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox from The Ararat Advertiser. To make sure you're up-to-date with all the news from across the Ararat shire, sign up here.