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28-30 Esmond Street, Emerald QLD
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Emerald event

ANZAC Day March & Service

ANZAC Day March & Service is one of Emerald’s signature events, drawing visitors from across the Central Highlands and beyond. ANZAC Day is Australia’s most important military commemoration. The Emerald RSL organises a dawn service, march, and memorial service each 25 April.

About ANZAC Day March & Service

The ANZAC Day program begins with a dawn service at the Cenotaph — a solemn, moving ceremony attended by veterans, serving members, and community. The main march follows later in the morning, with veterans, emergency services, school groups, and community organisations parading through the town centre. A formal service at the RSL follows, with speeches, wreath laying, and the Last Post.

After the formal proceedings, the RSL opens for the traditional two-up games and social gathering. This is a genuine community moment — one of the few days when the entire town comes together regardless of background.

Organised by the Emerald RSL Sub-Branch, this event has become a fixture on the Central Highlands calendar. The event typically attracts 500–1,000 attendees visitors.

When & Where

When: 25 April every year. Dawn service typically 5:30am, march and main service from 9:00am. Where: Emerald RSL and Cenotaph, Emerald QLD Expected attendance: 500–1,000 attendees

Why Attend

If you’re in Emerald on 25 April, attending the dawn service is a powerful experience. Regional ANZAC Day services have an intimacy that large city ceremonies often lack — you’re standing alongside families whose members served, in a community where military service and sacrifice are part of living memory. It’s respectful, moving, and deeply Australian.

Getting There

Emerald is accessible via the Capricorn Highway from both Brisbane (9 hours) and Rockhampton (3 hours). Emerald Airport has daily flights from Brisbane via QantasLink and Alliance Airlines.

Emerald Inn — Walking Distance from the Dawn Service

The dawn service starts before daylight, and the one thing that makes that easier is not having to drive to it. We are at 28–30 Esmond Street, in the middle of town and a short walk from the march route, so a 4:30am start means putting a coat on rather than warming up a cold car.

Reception opens at 7am, but arriving the night before is straightforward whatever the hour — if you are not checked in by 5pm we call and set up a key lock-box with a code. Each apartment has a full kitchen, so there is a hot cup of tea waiting when you get back rather than a wait for somewhere to open.

Stay at Emerald Inn: 28–30 Esmond Street, Emerald QLD 4720. Check availability or call (07) 4980 0600. Compare the three apartment types.

Making a Weekend of It

ANZAC Day falls in the best month of the Central Highlands year, and a service that finishes mid-morning leaves most of a long weekend spare:

Plan Your Visit