Lights and livestream a glowing success
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30 April 2019
Commemoration events highlighting the sacrifice of past and present Australian and New Zealand military personnel have drawn to a close, with large crowds coming together to show their respect.
The Anzac Day dawn service drew 4,000 people to the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial atop Mount Clarence, with thousands more livestreaming from their homes or watching the simulcast at Albany Boatshed.
Albany RSL’s gunfire breakfast, troop march and commemorative service were all well attended, with thousands of locals and visitors lining the streets along which soldiers from the first WWI convoy marched over 100 years earlier.
Sunday night was the final chance to see the Field of Light: Avenue of Honour which at closing had attracted an incredible 187,000 visits. .
TS Vancouver Cadets saluted the fallen with a guard of honour, punctuated by the Last Post and a minute of silence at 6.30pm. Local Menang man Graeme Simpson and Maori man Tuaari Kuiti gave a blessing to the souls of the departed through a chilling performance of the didgeridoo and haka in a combined mark of respect to the indigenous cultures of Australia and New Zealand.
The lights faded for the final time following a concluding Last Post, another minute of silence and Reveille performed by Justin Laing, with each section turning off in increments.
Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington said that the events of the past week were a spectacular way to pay tribute to the Anzacs and close what has been an amazing commemoration for Albany.
“Albany’s connection to the Anzac legend is unique, and this has been a fitting conclusion to the Centenary events run over the last few years,” Mayor Wellington said.
“The City of Albany is proud to work alongside our community and partners like the team at FORM and the Albany RSL to continue to mark our unique part in history”.
The City of Albany, in conjunction with FORM, came together to make the installation possible along with the Australian Government Building Better Region’s Funding, Tourism WA, Lotterywest, Christine and Kerry Stokes and the Bruce Munro Studio.