By Alesha Capone
Werribee RSL Sub-branch will not host an official Anzac Day dawn service for the public on Sunday, but will send a small delegation to the Station Street cenotaph for an unofficial ceremony.
Sub-branch manager John Kot said the RSL had started planning a COVID-safe 2021 Anzac event with Wyndham council and other groups earlier this year, but the five-day lockdown in February had “curtailed” the preparations.
Mr Kot said the RSL sub-branch and council had all made “a mutual decision“ not to ahead with a public event.
He said that COVIDSafe government requirements which went with planning a public event for up thousands of attendees would have created a “logistical nightmare” for organisers of the dawn service, which usually attracts between 5000 and 8000 people.
“Because of those vast numbers, everyone who wanted to attend would have had to pre-register,” Mr Kot said.
He said the event would have also needed muster points, ID checks for all attendees and one exit and entry point.
Mr Kot said said an “unofficial small gathering” of RSL representatives would meet at the Werribee cenotaph to lay a wreath, around 6am.
Mr Kot said if members of the public felt comfortable to attend the Werribee cenotaph on Anzac Day, and obeyed requirements such as social distancing, they would not be turned away.
“If you didn’t feel comfortable, I’d advise people to do what they did last year and stand in their driveways,” Mr Kot said.
A Wyndham council spokesperson said: “As parades and the like are almost impossible to manage participant numbers and COVIDSafe distancing, it was agreed with the RSL to not proceed with a large, public Anzac Day Parade in 2021“.
Volunteers from the RSL sub-branch, including treasurer Merv Clifton and secretary Helen Kelly, have been busy selling Anzac Day badges at Bunnings stores in Werribee and Hoppers Crossing in the lead-up to Sunday.
Mr Clifton said he enjoyed seeing children attending the badge stalls with their parents and asking questions about Anzac Day.
“It’s not all about the money, although that is very important as we use it for our welfare program,” he said.
The RAAF base at Point Cook will also not host a public service public on Anzac Day.
Executive officer of the Point Cook RAAF base, Squadron Leader Jason Wirth, said while the base loved having the public take part in its activities, COVID restrictions prevented the community from taking part in this year’s service.
“We usually get between 1500 to 2500 members of the public here for our Anzac dawn service,“ he said.
“The plan this year is to have a small local group of defence members, and commemorate appropriately as allowed under COVID requirements.
“Those involved with the city march will then go along to that or to their local RSLs.“
