RSL representatives from Victoria and NSW, as well as returned service-people and their families celebrated the milestone with a service hosted at the memorial gardens in Mathoura, where a memorial seat, made and donated by Tom McCluskey, was unveiled.
A 100th birthday cake was cut by the oldest returned service member in Mathoura, Bob Hancock, aged 98.
Returned service-people from the surrounding areas, including representatives from both Moama and Deniliquin RSLs, travelled to mark the occasion, including RSL state representatives from Melbourne.
The ceremony started with a procession of members marching into the gardens, flanked by Gordon Gannon and Rob McMurray of the light horse brigade and led by the league's president John Pocklington.
“The centenary means the league is a viable and wanted institution that's still required by our community,” Mr Pocklington said.
“We do still serve a need in our district.”
After opening statements celebrating the history of the broader organisation, and the members and Friends of the RSL who keep the league operating in the town, Mathoura Public School students gave a rendition of True Blue by John Williamson.
Gordon Gannon performed the poem An Anzac On The Wall by Jim Brown.
Murray River Shire councillor Thomas Weyrich saluted and celebrated the members of the RSL, noting that celebrating the work and legacy of returned service-people is "one thing that council is united on."
“I'd like to thank the (Murray River) Council for maintaining our memorial garden: we call it our garden, but it's council property and they do a beautiful job looking after it,” Mr Pocklington said.
Before wreaths could be laid at the ceremony, speaker trouble delayed the singing of the national anthem, however the crowd remained undeterred, singing without accompaniment as one: a truly fitting end to a celebration of mateship spanning 100 years.
“We were extremely pleased with the turnout, and with how the event went: it was a beautiful day for it.”
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