City strengthens Anzac Day partnerships

City of Newcastle’s strong commitment to commemorating the Anzac spirit continues with a $100,000 Presenting Partner sponsorship ensuring the delivery of the second largest Anzac Dawn Service in Australia.
 
City of Newcastle will provide a number of vital services to ensure the smooth delivery of this iconic event, including free Park and Ride services for Hunter residents eager to pay respects at this year’s Nobbys Anzac Day Dawn Service.

^{Combined Schools Anzac Service organiser James MacKay OAM, the Lord Mayor and City of Newcastle
RSL Sub-Branch Vice President Stephen Finney}
 
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes announced the free park and ride service and a $75,000 sponsorship of Anzac Day events ahead of today’s Combined Schools Anzac Service.
 
“The Anzac spirit will never be diminished among Hunter residents and the City is proud to be Presenting Partner with a $75,000 sponsorship to the City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch for the Dawn Service at Nobbys Beach, the march from Hunter St Mall and the United Commemoration Service in Civic Park as major events for the region,” the Lord Mayor said.
 
“Large numbers are once again expected at both the 5am Dawn Service and 9am march, so we are pleased to provide Novocastrians with a free park and ride option by funding the $20,000 cost of the service. We strongly encourage anyone intending to attend Anzac Day events to take advantage of it or to link up with the early light rail services."
 
City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch President Ken Fayle said he expected the Anzac Spirit to remain resurgent into a second century, a year after the Centenary commemorations ended.
 
“I’d like to thank the Lord Mayor for the City’s ongoing support and ensuring the Dawn Service continues to honour all war veterans, and I expect Hunter residents will turn out en masse once again in 2019, 104 years after the legend was born,” Mr Fayle said.
 
“I’m proud to say we’ve exceeded our wildest expectations since we relocated the Dawn Service from Civic Park to Nobbys in the year 2000, and we’re grateful to both the City and Keolis Downer for further strengthening what is now a fine tradition.”

^{The Lord Mayor with City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch President Ken Fayle at last year's United Commemoration
Service in Civic Park.}
 
The Lord Mayor also announced the City’s $10,000 sponsorship of the schools event held at Civic Theatre today.
 
The combined schools performance, the first of 16 commemorations across the city in 2019, saw Hunter schoolkids come together for the 64th consecutive year.
 
“Organised by year-11 students from public, Catholic and Independent schools, this year’s theme is peace keepers and peace keeping telling the story of local veteran peace keeper Major Pete Green OM“, Combined Schools Anzac Service Secretary Michael Voorbij said.
 
The Combined Schools Anzac Service is highly regarded by the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, educators and the broader community. With the City of Newcastle’s ongoing support, this event proves the relevance of Anzac Day shall not weary.”
 
Anzac Day Park and Ride & Public Transport options 
 
Buses will depart McDonald Jones Stadium for Queens Wharf from 3.30am, just as the light rail begins from Wickham, thanks to Newcastle Transport’s decision to start services earlier than normal to transport Dawn Service crowds.
 
Information on Park and Ride services and Newcastle Transport services is available at newcastletransport.info