Town’s population swells for Anzac Day

By Geoff Adams

Apr 25, 2024

Riders from the 8 Indi Light Horse on the banks of the Murray River at the Anzac Day service in Barmah. The riders are (from left) Neil Pankhurst from Barmah, Kerry Bruce from Barmah and Ross Smith from Tallangatta.

Returned service people and relatives marching in the Barmah Anzac Day service.

Barmah’s Anzac Day commemoration attendance has exceeded the town’s population.

The turnout has been getting bigger each year as organisers do their best to provide a meaningful experience at the town’s war memorial.

This year an estimated 300 people gathered at the memorial, which has the Murray River as a backdrop.

Little Henry Button-Mansfield, 5, raised the flag with some assistance from dad, Dwayne, at the Barmah Anzac Day service. The two are from Barmah-Cummeragunja.

The parade of ex-service people and their relatives included three riders in Light Horse regalia, a Furphy water cart and 23 horses from the Nathalia Pony Club.

The ceremony, conducted by the Nathalia-Picola RSL, included the singing of the New Zealand national anthem, in Maori, by Naomi Stent, who has recently moved to Nathalia with her partner Josef.

Naomi, who went to school in New Zealand, said she recalled the days when students had to learn the song in both Maori and English.