General News
24 April, 2025
Rainbow revives dawn service for Anzac Day
Rainbow will mark Anzac Day tomorrow, Friday April 25, with its first dawn service in 10 years, honouring the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The commemorations will begin at 6.30am at the Rainbow War Memorial on the median strip of Federal Street.
Friends of the RSL Rainbow member Peter Ralph said the decision to reinstate the dawn service was a joint initiative between the Friends of the RSL, Rainbow Historical Society and the local school.
“We haven’t had a dawn service since the centenary of Gallipoli, which was in 2015,” Mr Ralph said.
“It’s 10 years since we’ve had one.
“The reason we’re having this is because it’s the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and a lot of people really have no knowledge of who those soldiers were and what they did.”
The early-morning ceremony will feature a special tribute to local service members, with Grade 5 and 6 students of Rainbow P-12 College presenting laminated portraits of WWII veterans whose names are on the town’s cenotaph.
These portraits will be displayed with poppies and battery-lit candles, and short biographies will be read aloud by students during the tribute.
“There were three or four sessions where both the historical society and RSL representatives worked with the students in the classroom while they were actively researching,” Mr Ralph said.
Following the dawn service, attendees will enjoy a light breakfast in the MECCA supper room nearby.
Later in the morning, a second service will take place from 9.45am, also at the war memorial.
This more formal event will include a traditional minute of silence, the playing of The Last Post, flag ceremonies, and a recitation of the Anzac Ode by students.
At 10am, guests will move to the Rainbow Community Hall to hear guest speaker Ryan Leffler, a former SAS serviceman with a distinguished military career.
Mr Leffler is from Goroke and previously spoke at Anzac Day events in Nhill and is known for his modest and respectful approach to remembrance.
The day will conclude with a community brunch at the RSL Hall featuring sausage rolls, sandwiches and a chance for locals to connect and share stories.
“It’s a community social occasion as well,” Mr Ralph said.
“Those who do stay, they will have a real good yarn.”
All are welcome to attend the services and join in remembering the sacrifices of past generations.
Mr Ralph and other Friends members collected money for Anzac Day at the pop-up desk in front of the supermarket on April 17 and said they were hoping to gather again this week.
According to Mr Ralph, the response of the Rainbow community was very generous.
