By Oscar Parry
Planning and preparation for the Mount Macedon Anzac Day dawn service is well underway, with this year’s theme focusing on the tragic costs of war.
Starting at 6am on Friday, April 25, at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross, the theme for this year’s service will be The Unseen Wounds of Conflict.
Relating to the theme, the stories of local veterans will be shared.
Local high school students will present a story on behalf of Woodend veteran Francis Donovan, who served as a medic in an infantry unit during the Vietnam war.
Donovan said that they are proud of the theme of this year’s service.
“It’s not something we’ve taken quite so directly this year, and I think that’s marvellous,” Donovan said.
“Why? Because it’s really, really topical. The impact of warfare on those who get sent off to do the fighting and those at home is really quite life-changing for many, many returned veterans,” they said.
“Everyone knows about the impacts of warfare … not everyone knows about the ongoing costs … we need to know what the downstream costs are in human terms. and why is that topical? Because as we speak, we’ve got at least two major wars … that have our attention.”
Donovan will perform their song Bleed on Down, with lyrics that portray that warfare “bleeds on down through the families of those directly involved,” reflecting the service’s theme.
Donovan is one of the founders of the national Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service, now titled Open Arms, and the Western Australia branch of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia.
They were honoured with an Order of Australia in 2017 for service to Australian veterans.
Those planning to attend the Mount Macedon Anzac Day dawn service are encouraged to book a seat on one of the free bus services operating across Sunbury and Macedon Ranges, with further details to be provided closer to the event.
Details: mtmacedondawnservice.org
