General News
29 April, 2025
Locals brave the rain to mark Anzac Day
Hundreds in Maryborough soldiered on last Friday despite clouds turning to rain for Maryborough’s Anzac Day service.
Leading Maryborough’s Anzac Day march was the Maryborough City Brass Band, led by Darryl Wagstaff, but behind them was the whole community — young and old.
From active to former service members, community leaders, to the up and coming young people of the region — they all marched from the RSL Hall to Maryborough’s post office.
Among them was local emergency services including the Red Cross, local police, and the SES.
Joining SES’ part in the parade Rachel Mitchell, deputy controller of operations, was honoured to march.
“It’s an honour to do it because SES actually started as civil defence which was a brand with the military. It was just civilians who joined in to do rescues,” she said.
While the organisation celebrates 50 years as VICSES local volunteers have been a part of the march for around eight years, Ms Mitchell said, and helped set up prior to that.
Local SES volunteer Darren Duffin was proud to continue the organisation’s local legacy on Friday.
“I’m proud to be able to be in the parade,” he said.
Local emergency services and service members share a motivation, Maryborough RSL sub branch president Roy ‘Shady’ Lane said.
“You do it for the community and your family,” he said.
Representing Highview College and Maryborough Education Centre (MEC) as special guest speakers was Molly Palmer and Annabelle Verdin-Price.
They reminded locals values represented by those of the past can be upheld in everyone’s day-to-day life.
“For young people like myself days like today really matter. They remind us that history isn’t just something we learn at school, it’s part of how we live and treat others,” Molly said.
“We’ve been given a legacy built on courage, sacrifice and service and it’s up to us to continue it in our own ways.”
Reflecting on young people’s involvement this Anzac Day Mr Lane said they were the town’s future.
“Those young men and women [in Highview College and MEC] are excellent. They’re polite and very nice. That’s the type of people that are in our community,” he said.
Central Goldfields Shire mayor Grace La Vella led the service, but she represented more than her title that day, honouring her mother’s service with the medals on her chest.
“Everyone has someone they know or know of that was in some sort of conflict,” she said.
This year was Cr La Vella’s first wearing Peggy Bailey’s medals, which Cr La Vella received retrospectively.
Ms Bailey served between 1943 to 1946 in the Australian Womens Army Service. It’s a legacy Cr La Vella was proud to represent.
“It’s never forgotten,” she said.
To Cr La Vella the day’s service couldn’t be overshadowed by rain considering the sacrifices of those being remembered.
“We’ve got to consider those young men who fought in the trenches. They were in mud, rain, and blood. What’s a few drops of rain we have to endure,” she said.
Mr Lane said the community turned out in force, as they have in previous years, with around 150 people at the Dawn Service and a couple of hundred at the Commemoration Service.
For Mr Lane it’s community support like he saw on Friday that makes it all possible for both Anzac Day and military service itself.
“We were told back in the 90s to put one service member on the frontline you need 35 people back home. For every one person that’s on the frontline you’ve got 35 backing you up,” he said.
This year the community back up came in the form of selfless generosity.
“When you’re out selling Anzac Day badges this community is very very generous. For a small community they are very generous and we appreciate that,” Mr Lane said.