ANZAC Day Commemoration Services

Ms HUTCHESSON (Waite) (16:03): I would like to rise to talk a little bit about the ANZAC services that were on in our community over the weekend. The Upper Sturt Soldiers Memorial Hall, which was opened in 1935 and which had a fine gathering of present and old residents and visitors, which has served our community for a very long time, was the place to be on ANZAC eve.

The local residents at the time of the hall being opened, many of whom were orchardists, market gardeners and quarrymen, were practical hands-on people, and the hall was designed not only as a living memorial to World War I soldiers but also for practical use by the community. Many ANZAC and Remembrance Day commemorations, along with dances, fetes, strawberry fairs, school concerts and presentations have occurred there over the last 90 years. On Thursday night last week, the ANZAC service was very touching and it was lovely to be a part of that.

As a member of the committee now for just short of 10 years, I was tasked with finding a poem to read at the service, and I wanted to find one that was about women: about the sacrifices that women made, those who went to war, those who stayed home and those who were left behind, and I wanted it to be special. There are lots of poems out there, but I was able to find a couple of our local residents, Tilly and Alice Schammer—girls I have known for quite a long time—and I tasked them with writing me a poem.

Tilly—who had already been awarded the Premier's Anzac Spirit award—and her sister came up with the most beautiful poem. Whilst Tilly could not be there on Thursday night, Alice (who is 12) stood tall and read her poem, and I would like to read it now. ANZAC Women, written by Tilly and Alice Schammer:

We remember the women who struggled their greatest

Ones who fought and others who waited.

Day to day life, it must have been hard

On the inside and out, to arrive home with scars.

We thank them for the service, their commitment and time,

The women who fought out on the front line.

Courage was shown, an ANZAC spirit

Girls put at risk, no need to fear it.

We won't forget what they gave

All the strong and all the brave

They are heroes, together with all

Today we remember those who did fall

We say thank you, loud and clear

For these women, from both far and near

Lest we forget their sacrifices and toil

Thanks for their help and always being loyal.

These women were nurses, soldiers and friends

Standing tall and brave until the end

Together they fought proud and strong

Working together on days hard and long

Proving their mateship, they worked together

And so, looking back, we treasure

The work they have done, in the future and past

Thanks to these women, the ANZAC spirit will last.

It was a very special evening. They also had a presentation of some incredible World War I badges that had been presented to the hall 90 years ago. They were the most beautiful World War I pins and badges. Whilst we had them on the wall there at the hall for quite a while, they are that precious that they are now in the State Library, but it was lovely to have them there for the event.

After the Upper Sturt service, I made quick time down to the youth vigil at Blackwood where the cadets, the Scouts, the Rovers and the Guides were all waiting to hold ground to protect the shrine, and it was lovely to join them as they had their service. Literally straight after the service, the CFS pagers around the area rang out with a big shed fire in our area up in Coromandel Valley, and I am proud to say my own son actually crewed one of our trucks that went out there. He suggested that it was the hottest fire that he had ever been to as they did their best to protect some solar batteries that would have been in trouble if they had lit up. So well done to all of our CFS crews that were involved.

Back at the vigil, the young people from the Scouts, the Rovers and Guides all stood around holding ground, and it is always lovely to spend time with these young people while they are spending the night considering the sacrifices that many have made to keep them safe. I was happy to arrive with leftover soup, fresh rolls, some personally baked ANZAC biscuits and also, later on in the evening, 26 pizzas. Needless to say they were very, very happy and very, very full. The next morning, at 6.30am, the Blackwood RSL dawn service began with easily 3,000 to 4,000 locals gathered to show their respects. It was a moving service.

After the Blackwood service, it was off to the RSL for a gunfire breakfast and then off to the Coromandel Valley War Memorial where another service took place at 9 o'clock with around 400 to 500 locals all standing silently as they listened to the service and the Last Post. It was a beautiful afternoon that we had after that with afternoon tea, and I was lucky to meet Mavis Brownlow who turned 104 on Sunday, and I wish her a very happy birthday.