Parkes dawn service on Memorial Hill truly special, see the photos

With the best vantage point for views of the town atop Memorial Hill and a glorious 33-metre high Shrine of Remembrance that's now going on 100 years old, you have the best seat in the house to watch the sunrise on one of Australia's most important days in history.

Every year it draws a large crowd, from as young as toddlers to those who can make it up the hill at 5.30am.

"Our dawn service was by far the biggest crowd we've had this year," Parkes RSL Sub Branch secretary Paul Thomas said.

"There were even people gathering around behind the memorial which has never happened before."

From the long list of wreath bearers to the Last Post sounding from the chamber at the base of the monument to resident magpies joining the service, there are many special moments to take in during this dawn service.

This year saw Member for Orange Phil Donato attend his first dawn service in Parkes and, like every year, our local schools are so well and proudly represented.

Also a first this year, our bugler Duncan Clement was accompanied by 11-year-old Samuel Hunt who joined him in sounding the Last Post.

Here are the scenes from the dawn service.

MORE PHOTOS FROM 2023 ANZAC DAY IN PARKES:

Have you seen our other photo galleries from events around Parkes?

There's plenty more where these came from in the multimedia section on our website.