THOUSANDS braved the rain and packed into Camp Shortland to pay tribute to serving men and women in the first of Newcastle’s Anzac Day commemorations.
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The dawn service kicked off as lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes ignited the eternal flame, which for the first time was lit from the hallowed Warriors Chapel flame held at Christ Church Cathedral.
Newcastle City RSL sub-branch president Ken Fayle said the flame “represents life … but because it can be easily extinguished it represents the fragility of life”.
The crowd jolted back at the sound of an audio-visual display that reminded them of the “hell” of war as images of Diggers were projected on screens.
In her dawn service address, Cr Nelmes called on Novocastrians to “take a look around”.
“Almost everyone here has direct or indirect connection to those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” she said.
She added as it started to drizzle: “We should never take for granted our freedom, our democracy, our way of life”.
A handful of poems were read by veterans and students before a procession of civic, military, and business leaders laid wreaths at the flame.
The air filled with silence as the Last Post was played by a bugler, the rain still drizzling and showing no sign of letting up.
But the solemn crowd was undeterred even though most were not carrying umbrellas.
Flashback: Remember Anzac Day in 2017
They jolted back again at the startling sound of cannon fire from Fort Scratchley before a catafalque party concluded formal proceedings.
Mr Fayle became teary as he thanked the city for putting the Nobbys dawn service “on the map”.
The sub-branch president also announced he would be stepping down from his role as emcee to allow younger blood to come through.
“I could not be prouder of what you have done in this city,” he said.
“You have put us on the map. People outside [Newcastle] do not believe what you’ve done with your attendance and commitment.”
Official crowd figures were still being determined but Mr Fayle said it appeared to him the crowd was on par with previous years (estimates typically place between 30,000 and 40,000 at the service).
That is despite the inconvenience of road closures for the light rail project.
And security is tight with some city streets blocked off with garbage trucks and skip bins to guard against vehicle attacks.
Spectators were urged to use the park and ride bus service from McDonald Jones Stadium.
The crowd quickly dispersed from Nobbys as the rain became heavier.
The sunrise over Nobbys beach did not appear this dawn service because of cloud cover, but those who flocked to the beach still looked out over the ocean and reflected quietly among themselves.
Others made plans for coffee, and city centre cafes appeared to be doing a roaring trade.
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