Trip: Anzac Day, 2011
ANZAC Day, a day to commemorate the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. Typically ANZAC Day services conjure up images of elderly returned servicemen among the big crowds gathered at the Shrine, to pay homage to those who have fought for Australia.
A dawn service hosted by a 28 year old returned serviceman accompanied by an 11 year old Cub Scout and 32 onlookers on top of a mountain cliff would not be the typical ANZAC Day scene, but it was certainly a beautiful and moving moment.
The Bushtrek Four Wheel Drive Club President, Scott May was the 28 year old returned serviceman that hosted the ANZAC Day dawn service on Monday 25th April, 2011 at Dimmocks Lookout in the Victorian High Country.
At 5:30am we were woken to the sound of the Revelry playing with drill commands echoing across the plains, frost covered swags and an icy cold mist of fog that covered the mountain top where we were camped. We made the breathtaking 20 minute walk or 5 minute drive from our camp site to the top of the Lookout. A fire had been lit to symbolize the Eternal Flame and Scott stood waiting for the group to arrive, proudly wearing his suit and medals.
The scene could not have been more beautiful. We stood amongst the snow gums and snow plains overlooking the mountain range as the fog cascaded down into the gorge below. Scott began the service and while we commemorated the soldiers of the past who had lost their lives so we could stand there and appreciate the beauty of the mountain top, it was hard to not think of the soldiers of today, who are still fighting for our peace and freedom. Rob May, father of Scott May who returned from service in November 2010 and father to Christopher May who is currently serving in the Army and due to deploy to Afghanistan, read the Flanders Fields Poem. 11 year old Lachlan Buchanan read the Ode and the service was concluded by Scott as the sun beams began to make their way over the mountains and the Last Post sounded across the valley.
After the service concluded, we stood and appreciated the beauty of the scene that we were all lucky enough to be able to experience. As the sun continued to rise, it fused with the fog and the light created a halo like glow through the trees. The view we were afforded as we warmed up by the fire made us feel like we had truly been a part of something sanctimonious, and there is no doubt we were.
To get us to the ANZAC day service we had completed a touring four wheel drive trip where we travelled for three days. Our journey took us from Berwick to Bairnsdale where we headed offroad to camp for the first night. We were then challenged as we travelled to along some very steep and rocky climbs. At the end of the long day we camped at the Blacks Creek camping grounds just out of Dargo were the Easter Bunny met up with the children in the trip on the Sunday morning. After an extensive Easter Egg hunt, we headed through the stunning Wonangatta Valley and up to the Dimmocks Lookout camp spot ready for the Dawn service.
Following the Dawn service, some club members stayed on at Dimmocks Lookout and did an 8km round trip hike to the Pikes and Conglomerate Falls, while some club members headed straight home and others continued the touring trip out towards Mansfield for another few day’s driving before they headed home.