New England communities to gather for ANZAC Day commemorations

Communities across the New England and North West will come together on Saturday, April 25 to mark ANZAC Day, with dawn services, marches and commemorations planned across all 12 local government areas.

From Tamworth and the Liverpool Plains to Tenterfield, Inverell and Moree, residents are expected to turn out in strong numbers to honour the service and sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand servicemen and women.

Local RSL sub-branches, councils and volunteers have again coordinated a full program of events, ensuring both major centres and smaller villages will host opportunities for reflection.

Dawn services will begin from around 5.30am in many towns, followed by marches and mid-morning ceremonies, a format that continues to draw multi-generational support across the region.

Residents are encouraged to confirm details with their local RSL, but the following guide outlines many of the services being held across the New England region.

Tamworth Regional Council

• Tamworth: Dawn Service 5:30am (ANZAC Park); March 10:30am; Main Service 11:00am
• Piallamore: Martin Place Dawn service playing on the big screen from 4:15am; Piallamore Recreation Reserve
• Bendemeer: Dawn service 5:30am (Memorial Park) followed by breakfast at the Bendemeer Town Hall for $10 per adult.
• Nundle: Main service and March 11am (Nundle Memorial Hall)
• Barraba: Dawn Service 5:45am (War Memorial Clock), March and Main Service 10:50am

Armidale Regional Council

• Armidale: Gunfire Breakfast 4:45am (Ex Services Upper Floor), Dawn Service 5:45am (Central Park); March 10:15am; Main Service 11:00am (Armidale War Memorial Fountain).
• Guyra: Dawn Service 5:45am (Guyra Soldiers’ Memorial Hall); March and main service from 10:30am

Inverell Shire

• Inverell: Dawn Service 5:45am (Cenotaph, Inverell Memorial Pool); Gunfire Breakfast 6:30am (Inverell RSM Club); March and main service 10:30am
• Gilgai: Main service 8:45am (War Memorial)
• Tingha: Dawn Service 6am (64 Ruby Street); March and main service from 10:30am (64 Ruby Street) 

Glen Innes Severn Council

• Glen Innes: Dawn Service 5:30am (Glen Innes Cemetery); Gunfire Breakfast 7am (Glen Innes Services Club); March and main service 11am (Cenotaph, ANZAC Park)
• Deepwater: 8:30am March and main service (School of Arts Building, Dundee St)
• Emmaville: 11am March (Emmaville Memorial Hall to War Memorial, Post Office Street

Uralla Shire

• Uralla: Dawn Service 5:45am (Alma Park); March and main service from 9:50am

Walcha Council

• Walcha: Dawn Service 6:00am; march and main service mid-morning

Tenterfield Shire

• Tenterfield: Dawn Service 5:30am (RSL Pavilion), March and main service 10:30

Gwydir Shire

• Bingara: Dawn Service 6am (Memorial Garden); March and main service 10:30am
• Warialda: Dawn service 6am (Captain Cook Park); March and main service 10:30am (Warialda Town Square)
• North Star: Main Service 10am (ANZAC Park)
• Gravesend: March and main service 9am (Cenotaph)
• Yallaroi: Main service 8:30am (Yallaroi Hall)
• Upper Horton: Dawn Service 6am (Upper Horton Sports Club)

Moree Plains Shire

• Moree: 6am: Dawn service at the Memorial Window at the Moree RSL. Breakfast will be provided from 7am in the club’s barbecue area for dawn service participants. 9.30am: Form up for the ANZAC Day March assembling on Balo Street between the Albert St roundabout and Woolworths. ANZAC Day Parade salute taken at the RSL Museum (next to the Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre). The parade will then march to the Moree War Memorial Hall for a brief ribbon-cutting ahead of the wreath-laying ceremony and service, scheduled to start indoors at 10am. This will be followed by light refreshments in the Hall.
• Boomi: ANZAC Day march commences at 10.45 am from the old Post Office.Service follows the march at the Boomi Memorial Hall.Lunch is provided at 12.00 pm at the Pioneer Hotel.
• Garah: 9.30am: ANZAC Day March starting at the Country Women’s Association Hall to Garah Public Hall for wreath laying.10am: Morning tea at Country Women’s Association Hall.
• Mungindi: 5.45am – Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Mungindi RSL Cenotaph, 10.30am: ANZAC Day March assemble at RSL Cenotaph. Start and finish at the Mungindi Community Store followed by a commemoration service.
• Pallamallawa: 5.30am – The Dawn Service ceremony will commence, followed by a sausage sizzle, tea and coffee, and a slideshow reflecting on the last 10 years of the Pallamallawa War Memorial Hall.
• Toomelah: 6am Dawn Service at the Toomelah War Memorial, Toomelah. Turn right just over the Toomelah Bridge.

Narrabri Shire

• Narrabri: 5.00am – Dawn Service, Narrabri West War Memorial, 6.00am – Dawn Service, Narrabri War Memorial (adjacent to Narrabri RSL Club), 10.45am – Main ANZAC Day Service at Narrabri War Memorial (following ANZAC March)
• Wee Waa: 5.45am – Dawn Service, Wee Waa War Memorial (Rose Street), 10.00am – Main Service, Wee Waa War Memorial
• Baan Baa: 5.30am – Dawn Service, Baan Baa War Memorial (opposite Baan Baa Hotel)
• Boggabri: 8.30am – ANZAC March and Main Service, War Memorial (corner Brent & Merton Streets)
• Bellata:10.30am – ANZAC March (from Bellata Public School to Memorial Hall), 10.50am – Wreath Laying Ceremony, 11.00am – Main Service, Bellata Memorial Hall
• Pilliga: 10.30am – ANZAC March (along Dangar Street to War Memorial), 11.00am – Main Service, Pilliga War Memorial
• Gwabegar: 6.00am – ANZAC March (from Post Office to Memorial Park), followed by Dawn Service
• Maules Creek: 10.55am – Main Service, Maules Creek Memorial (Harparary Road)

Gunnedah Shire

• Gunnedah: Dawn Service 5:30am (Conadilly Street); march and main service 10:30am

Liverpool Plains Shire

• Quirindi: Quirindi Silo Art light and sound show 5am; Dawn Service 5:45am (Cenotaph); March and Main Service 11am
• Currabubula: Main service 9am (Currabubula War Memorial Hall)
• Werris Creek: Dawn Service 6am (Anzac Parade); Gunfire Breakfast at Werris Creek Sports from 6:30am; March and main service from 10:50am
• Willow Tree: March and main service 9am (Willow Tree Memorial Hall)

ANZAC Day remains one of the most significant dates on the national calendar, and across the New England it continues to be marked by strong community participation.

Alongside veterans, services regularly draw families, school groups and young people, reflecting the region’s ongoing commitment to honouring those who have served.

Smaller villages throughout the region will also host their own ceremonies, maintaining a tradition that ensures local stories and connections to service are remembered.

With large crowds expected at many services, attendees are encouraged to arrive early, follow local road closures, and check with their nearest RSL sub-branch for any late changes.

A full list of commemorations is available via the RSL NSW events portal or for more information on how you can get involved, contact your local RSL Sub-Branch.