A full day's program has been organised for Anzac Day in the Parkes Shire this year, Parkes Returned Services League (RSL) Sub Branch secretary Paul Thomas has announced.
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The Parkes Sub Branch in February confirmed its special guest of honour would be Air Vice Marshall Leigh Gordon AO, CSM, a former Parkes man who attended Parkes High School and commenced an engineering degree at the Goobang Shire Council before joining the Royal Australian Air Force.
Gordon will visit Parkes High School while he's in town to address students from Years 10, 11 and 12.
He'll also visit to Northparkes Mines, the Parkes Radio Telescope and HARS Parkes Aviation Museum on April 24.
Adding to this year's Anzac Day celebrations is the 100th anniversary of the Royal Australian Air Force and the magnificent contribution of many distinguished Parkes personnel.
This year's Anzac Day program will include all the traditional items, as well as many new events, such as the announcement of the winners of the Anzac Biscuit Cooking competition for the Keith Woodlands Perpetual Trophy.
The cooking competition is being organised by RSL NSW with the senior winners across NSW meeting in divisional finals to qualify for the state final in Newcastle at the annual State Conference of RSL NSW in October.
Entries close April 17.
The announcement of winners will be made at the official Anzac Day luncheon on Sunday, April 25.
"Due to different COVID restrictions across the nation, not every Australian will have the opportunity to gather together and march in honour of our Anzacs," Mr Thomas said.
"Australians are now being encouraged to stand up and be counted this Anzac Day to honour all our service personnel, past and present, by supporting the 'Light Up the Dawn campaign'.
"Through this campaign, we hope that whatever our communities choose to do this April 25, whether standing stoically alone, or with family, friends, neighbours and colleagues, in uniform or your pyjamas.
"Let's not let Australia's latest enemy defeat the Anzac spirit that so much defines our unique way of life."
Parkes' customary dawn service will commence at 5.30am at Memorial Hill with local groups and organisations laying wreaths alongside those laid by service and ex-service personnel.
Members of the public are reminded that parking at Memorial Hill is limited to returned service personnel, as well as people who are holders of In-Capacitated Entitlement Cards.
The Parkes Services Club will conduct a free breakfast at 6.30am and both the Anglican and Catholic Churches will conduct special Anzac Day services at 7.30am.
The traditional Anzac Day march will begin at 8.20am hours, with participants gathering in front of the Parkes Services Club. It will proceed up Welcome Street, right into Clarinda Street at Chamberlain Square before turning right into Short Street, and finishing at the Parkes Services Club.
The RAAF will lead this year's Anzac Day march as a tribute to its 100 years of service.
Prior to the commemorative service at the Cenotaph in Cooke Park the Wagga Wagga based RAAF Headquarters Ground Academy will perform with the official Falling In Ceremony at 9am.
Known as the "Catafalque Party" the contingent of six RAAF personnel will perform many manoeuvres that are performed at official ceremonies including the Present Arms and the Reverse Arms.
Parkes Mayor Ken Keith OAM will begin proceedings with the official welcome and the Parkes Shire Concert Band will provide entertainment, as well as back the Holy Family Catholic School who will perform the Australian National Anthem and hymns.
Parkes East Public School captains Lillian Gosper and Jaylin Moran, and Parkes High School captains Marites Woods and Zayne Eshman will do the Address by Modern Youth
A Wreath Laying Pilgrimage to the Parkes Cemetery War Graves section will take place about 10.45am.
The official Anzac Day luncheon will follow at 12 noon.
Joining AVM Leigh Gordon AO, CSM, will be his wife Adele, as well State Member for Orange Mr Phil Donato and his wife Nadia, Cr Keith and wife Sue, Parkes RSL Sub Branch president Keith Woodlands and wife Phillipa, and Services Club president Dorothy Charlton.
Concluding the day's activities on Anzac Day will be the sounding of Retreat at the Cooke Park Cenotaph at 5pm.
Alectown will conduct a dawn service at 6am while Tullamore will have an Anzac Commemorative Service at 10.30am.
Trundle will have a March "Fall In" at Trundle Central School at 10.30am, while Peak Hill will have a dawn service at 5am at the AIF Hall and an Anzac Day march at 10.30am. Children will assemble at the Arts and Craft Centre and ex-service personnel, club directors and members, and fire brigade personnel to assemble at the old Westpac building for the march at 11am.
Patrons are reminded Covid-19 conditions will apply at all venues with events at Parkes being operated under QR codes. The two-metre distancing will apply.
