2020 Anzac Day: Port Macquarie-Hastings community stands together apart to honour the Anzac tradition

Children in pyjamas emerged from their homes, others donned their school uniforms, streets quietly alight with the flicker of candles, the Australian flag proudly draped over fences, from doors and over letterboxes. Surfers faced the sun as they sat on the water, runners paused on the breakwall, couples embraced on the Coastal Walk watching the first rays of sunlight soar.

There were street stands offering Anzac biscuits, neighbours sharing breakfast on their driveways and a sense of camaraderie that our ex-servicemen and women would hopefully be proud of.

We may not have physically been together, but the spirit of this honoured tradition was alive and brimming with emotion. We remembered them.

Don Wakeling rose early, like he always does on April 25. He put on his suit adorned with medals.

He was the first man standing at the base of the cenotaph in Port Macquarie's Town Square at 5.45am.

The returned ex-Navy man who served in Malaya, Vietnam and Indonesia on the HMAS Melbourne and Parramatta, was there to remember his brother-in-law.

Harry Barnes was a quartermaster gunman on the HMAS Brisbane in the Vietnam War.

Early risers gave Don his space. He shed a tear but reminded everyone in this difficult time to be strong.

"It is what it is," Don said of this year's restricted commemorations due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

"I lived through the second World War as a young boy. People need to be strong."

Reg Bernauer is 95. He served in the Australia Army in Borneo as an engineer and did not return home until one year after the second World War ended.

He still remembers sailing through the heads at Sydney in 1946.

"I've been to all these marches since I was a young boy. The medals I'm wearing are my dad's, he served in France in World War 1," Reg explained.

"I was always brought up on it (the Anzac spirit).

"The dawn service for me is always quite emotional."

Reg always lays a wreath on behalf of the Le Hamel Village and says when he marched on Anzac Day in Sydney, seeing children and people of all nationalities line the streets to wish ex-servicemen and women well filled him with joy.

"I always thought - there's hope for us after all."

Anzac Day this year was different for May Cowie, 93.

The love of her life, 95-year-old husband Bill is a resident at Pozieres Village. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, she could not hold his hand.

Adorned with his medals and through the courtyard fence, words were not needed when Bill saw May. His love for her is palpable.

They have been married for 73 years. Their eyes first met when Bill was in the Australian Airforce serving in England. They married just after the war ended in 1946.

Read more: Australia, apart but together on Anzac Day 2020

Port Macquarie RSL Sub-branch president Greg Laird, a Vietnam veteran, said the situation was very sad, and felt for the veterans who were unable to march.

Port Macquarie has the largest membership in the country area for RSL sub-branches and still has 20 World War II veterans among its ranks.

Mr Laird stood at the cenotaph at dawn - he is the constant for many who have been a part of this Port Macquarie tradition for years.

"I feel a bit empty today," Mr Laird said.

"One fellow who came down this morning said he walked down Horton Street and it was the loneliest Anzac Day walk he'd ever done.

"Even though we have to be apart, we are still together. I feel the sense of pride, not having Anzac Day today, is even greater.

"There has been unbelievable support and good wishes."

Buglers played on the hour across Port Macquarie-Hastings ending their tributes on the headland overlooking Town Beach at 11am.

Every neighbourhood marked the occasion, every resident touched in some way. We were all missing someone today.

"All of my neighbours in Boltwood Way, Stirling Green at Thrumster, stood on their driveways this morning and lit candles," Aimee Moy said.

"We listened to the live telecast from Canberra and could hear someone a few streets over playing The Last Post on the trumpet. One neighbour delivered parcels of Anzac biscuits to us which was lovely, and another cooked bacon and egg rolls for everyone, which we enjoyed while keeping our distance.

"Whilst not the same as the usual Anzac day services, it was still lovely."

Young Jed Granger of class 3MC at Port Macquarie Public School stood proudly on his driveway as the sun rose.

"He was proud to share his driveway Anzac service with his grandparents in Scotland, light a candle and remember," said mum Suzi.

Hudson, 6 and Luca Burch, 3 participated in the Driveway at Dawn campaign in Laurieton.

"They did this for all our brave service men and women and are wearing their grandpa's hats and medals," mum Hilary said.

"They have many family members who serve and have served in the defence forces, and their great great grandfather Oliver Wilson was also an ANZAC and Australian Lighthorseman in WW1."

The children later went with their grandfather to pay their respects at Kendall cenotaph. Luca helped his preschool, Kendall Community Preschool, decorate the cenotaph with poppies and also made rosemary pins for residents.

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