General News
27 April, 2023
Dunolly marches with pride
Anzac Day is always a special occasion in Dunolly, and this year was no expection as locals poured out onto the street to join the march through town. After a Dawn Service, a march at 11 am made its way down Broadway to the RSL hall, led by the...
Anzac Day is always a special occasion in Dunolly, and this year was no expection as locals poured out onto the street to join the march through town.
After a Dawn Service, a march at 11 am made its way down Broadway to the RSL hall, led by the sound of bagpipes, Dunolly Primary School students, veterans, emergency services and brought up by a horse drawn cart and mounted riders symbolising the medical units and light horse brigades who served.
Students and residents joined together for a series of songs and the national anthem in the hall led by local Rachel Buckley, before paying respects outside with The Ode and The Last Post.
Dunolly/Bealiba RSL sub branch president Rick Gale said the day can bring mixed emotions.
“For some people Anzac Day is a great day, for some people it’s not,” he said.
“But the school children get involved and the whole community supports it one way or another. It’s absolutely brilliant.”
Marching along Broadway and lowering the flag at the RSL to half mast at his second local Anzac Day was Barney Hunt, who moved to Dunolly early last year and joined the local RSL.
Mr Hunt joined the army in 1983 as an engineer and served until he was discharged in 2016, posted to East Timor and Afghanistan among other places throughout his career.
Barney said the community-run Anzac Day services are some of the best.
“I’ve been in the defence force so long, I’ve been to a lot of Anzac Days. I actually did one in East Timor 23 years ago,” he said.
“You just celebrate the sacrifice others have made before I did, and you remember the people when I was overseas who didn’t come back.
“All services are different — I’ve done them all over Australia — but I find the community ones are much better than the large ones.
“I love the Dunolly service, and seeing the kids involved, it’s great.”
