Thousands have gathered across Australia to pay their respects to soldiers who fought and died for their country on Anzac Day.
Dawn services have begun in the county’s capital cities, marking 103 years since the Gallipoli landings, Australia’s first major conflict of World War One, and honoured armed forces past and present for their service.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek, NSW Governor David Hurley were among the thousands gathered for the service in Sydney on Wednesday morning.
Families with young children are among those to have come to the Cenotaph for this year’s Anzac Day dawn service in the city.
Later on Wednesday, female veterans will lead the march in Sydney for the first time to mark 103 years since Anzac troops landed on the Gallipoli peninsula in 1915.
In the cold and darkness crowds have flocked to the National War Memorial in Canberra for a dawn service commemorating the Anzacs and those who followed.
Up to 50,000 people are expected for the service.
Former opposition leader Kim Beazley will deliver the formal commemorative address while one of Australia’s last Rats of Tobruk, 97-year-old Bob Semple, will also speak.
Hundreds of former Australian Army Apprentices are among the crowds – they’ll mark the 70th anniversary of their formation by leading the march later in the morning.
Jeff Ward, a transport officer who served for more than 20 years, is among them with his wife Cathy, who served as a nurse.
‘There’s 800 of us, more than 800 now. It’s out of control,’ Mr Ward said.
It’s expected to be the largest contingent leading a march in several years.
Thousands of people have started gathering in drizzling rain in Brisbane’s CBD for the dawn service.
Armed with umbrellas and coffees, the crowds are filling Anzac Square and the surrounding overpasses to honour those who have fought and died at war.
Debbie Radford, from Brisbane, says it’s an important tradition to remember the sacrifices made by many Australians, including her great uncle, who fought in World War II.
‘We started attending the dawn services a number of years ago with our children and we were fortunate enough to go to Gallipoli in 2015 to go to the dawn service there. It was amazing what those young men went through,’ she told AAP.
‘I think it’s part of our history, I think it’s something we need to keep telling our children and our grandchildren – it’s who we are, it’s part of us.’