Medowie residents turned out in force to commemorate Anzac Day on Tuesday, April 25 with the dawn service seeing up to 3000 people fill the memorial space that has received some new additions.
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Ian Harding, Medowie RSL Sub-Branch president, said the service was "fantastic" and was happy to see so many people turn out.
"For a town of 11,000 people, to get nearly 3000 turning out for dawn service is a real show of respect," he said.
"Anzac Day has become really popular. It seems to get bigger every year. It is a real highlight of the year for us."
Mr Harding said the service was well attended by school children, veterans and currently service Defence personnel and the general community.
On the second anniversary since moving the town's commemorative space from Lions Park to Medowie Social, the sub-branch unveiled a new addition to the memorial garden - an eternal flame sculpture.
According to the Australian War Memorial, an eternal flame at a war memorial symbolises "a nation's perpetual gratitude towards, and remembrance of, its war dead".
Mr Harding said the metal sculpture shaped like a flame was a symbol of "full time remembrance".
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"We decided last year to add a little bit more to the memorial and came up with the idea for an eternal flame," he said.
Lighting will be added to the sculpture in future to simulate it being alight.
Another new addition to the Anzac Day service this year was a number of small crosses in the lawn behind the memorial garden.
Each cross bears a tribute to a loved one from members of the Medowie community.
"We invited the public to put the name of a relative on a cross for a small donation. We were overwhelmed with the response," Mr Harding said.
"The tribute looks absolutely beautiful. We'll leave the crosses there for about a week. We'll do it again next year definitely."
The war memorial at Medowie Social includes a Corten steel silhouette of a lone soldier, sandstone plinths, the new eternal flame sculpture and commemorative plantings like Gallipoli rosemary, Gallipoli roses and Grevillea Spirit of Anzac.
The Medowie and Stockton RSL Sub-Branches host a social Veterans Coffee Club at Medowie Social on Saturday mornings from 11.30am, which Mr Harding said have become "quite popular" with members.
All serving and ex-servicemen and women, plus their children, are welcome to attend.
Share your Port Stephens 2023 Anzac Day photos. Email them to portstephens@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Ellie-Marie Watts
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
A journalist with 10 years experience, Ellie-Marie connects readers to the stories that matter in their communities. A Port Stephens-based news, sport and event writer and photographer with a passion for human interest features.
