General News
29 April, 2025
ANZAC Day 2025
Under clear skies and with solemn reverence, the community of Gilgandra gathered to commemorate ANZAC Day 2025, honouring more than a century of Australian and New Zealand service and sacrifice.
This year’s 11am service march up Miller Street began with a RAAF flyover by a familiar sight to Gilgandra, a C-130 Hercules.
Drummers Angus Diggs, Quentin Karaitiana, and Daniel Organ then sounded the beat as the column left its formation site in Bridge Street.
The service, held at the Gilgandra cenotaph, was opened by Gilgandra Shire Council mayor Doug Batten. He extended a warm welcome to serving and ex-service personnel, dignitaries, young citizens, and visitors alike.
Acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land, mayor Batten paid tribute to Indigenous Australians who have served and continue to serve in the nation’s armed forces.
“Today is a day we gather to reflect and honour the men and women who have served and sacrificed their lives in defence of the freedoms we all enjoy and cherish,” mayor Batten said. His speech echoed the enduring spirit of the ANZACs - courage, mateship, resilience, and unity - qualities that continue to shape Australia’s national identity. The ceremony marked 110 years since the landing at Gallipoli, a campaign that claimed the lives of more than 8700 Australians and nearly 2200 New Zealanders. “Despite the hardship and overwhelming odds, the ANZACs held their ground,” mayor Batten reminded the crowd. “ANZAC Day has been one of the most important dates on the Australian calendar since 1916.
“It began as a way to honour those who fought at Gallipoli, and later to acknowledge all those who served in war, conflict, and peacekeeping missions. Today, we pause to reflect on the more 100,000 Australians who have given their lives in military service and to honour all those who have worn our nation’s uniform. When we commemorate ANZAC Day, we do not glorify war. Instead, we reflect on its costs and its lessons. We remember the courage of those who serve, the grief of those left behind, and the importance of peace.
“The spirit of ANZAC is not only about remembering the past, but also about how we live today,” concluded mayor Batten.
A moving program followed, including performances by the Coo-ee Choir, who led the hymn ‘The Recessional’ and ‘I Am Australian’.
