RELATED: Anzac Day photo gallery
A LARGE crowd gathered at 11am to watch Friday’s Anzac Day march from the Heyfield Bowls Club to the cenotaph in George St, with members of the community invited to march to the RSL following the ceremony for refreshments.
While the 11am start in Heyfield proved popular, the ceremony will be moved back to 9am next year.
Some locals reported it was the largest turn-out for Anzac Day in Heyfield in recent times, with the march led by Shandelle Crosbie and horse, modelling a Light Horse uniform.
A large number of war veterans were followed by enthusiastic primary school students and members of the emergency services before the Catafalque party assembled for official proceedings, overseen by Heyfield RSL president Sue Artso.
John Hutchison, who served in Vietnam, was well received as guest speaker, enlightening the crowd on some facts about World War I.
Father David Head led the prayer before Paul McKenzie recited the oath. After taking part in the march, Maffra Municipal Band continued its extensive involvement on the day. Band member Jim Dwyer played the last post, with the band playing the national anthem to conclude proceedings.
Students from local primary schools then gathered around the cenotaph to sing the national anthem.
EARLIER, Maffra Municipal band had led the march to the cenotaph in Maffra.
Numbers were also up on last year, with many primary school students, scouts, joeys and cubs proudly following war veterans in the march down Johnson St. Many children proudly displayed medals of relatives who had served.
Following the wreath laying ceremony, members of the community filed into the Memorial Hall for the official service.
Maffra Secondary College maintained its commitment to Anzac Day, providing a student as guest speaker, who spoke on what Anzac Day meant to them.
