But the traditional dawn service will be staged at the cenotaphs in both Echuca and Moama.
There won’t be any marches but Echuca sub-branch will have 100 pre-booked seats at its main service mid-morning at the Cenotaph.
Moama RSL sub-branch president Ken Jones said they would have seating for 500 at their 9am service.
“We could have had many more, I think the limit was 3000, but we believe 500 will be a manageable number,” Mr Jones said.
“It is heartbreaking that we won’t be having an Anzac Day march again but we will have our dawn service, followed by a free gunfire breakfast at Moama RSL between that and our 9am service,” he said.
The 500 seats will be tickets only and they can be obtained from the sub-branch on 5482 6677 or from its badge sellers outside Woolworths for the week before Anzac Day.
Echuca RSL sub-branch president Denis Shanahan said members “desperately” wanted to stage a march this year — even a shortened version — but were not prepared to take the risk.
Mr Shanahan said with the Victorian Government given extended emergency powers it would be too easy for another shutdown to ruin its plans.
“We will have a short service at the Cenotaph but only 100 people will be able to attend,” he added.
“It will be seating with social distancing and people have to book to get one of those seats.
“Once we get through this year, hopefully we can look to 2022 and having a proper Anzac Day, from dawn service to the Anzac Day march.”
Mr Shanahan also advised people who might want to attend the service by standing around the edges of the Cenotaph precinct but had not booked a seat “do so at their own risk”.
He also said the advance sale of Anzac Day badges and memorabilia would be returning from today after their 2020 cancellation.
“People in Echuca can purchase them from outside the Lucky Lotto in Hare St and Australia Post in Pakenham St,” he said.
State Member for Murray Plains Peter Walsh said the Echuca RSL sub-branch decision to cancel its Anzac Day march for no reason other than concerns the government might shut them down at the last minute was a modern-day tragedy.
Mr Walsh said planning was well under way for April 25 commemorations, but country sub-branches still remained in the dark on how, or if, the government expected them to comply with restrictions on crowd limits, social distancing or mask wearing.
“COVID restrictions cancelled our local services last year. At a time when the Andrews government is saying it’s safe to reopen nightclub dancefloors and have large crowds at festivals, it must find a way for us to remember our veterans,” he said.
Mr Walsh said Anzac Day was deeply significant for all Victorians to remember those “who came before us and fought to protect the life we live today”.
“Many country communities often have more than 1000 people come together at Anzac Day events across the state — they must be given a clear way forward,” he said.
“Setting out clear, common sense guidelines will ensure we can all safely come together on Anzac Day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, those who came home and those who still serve today.”
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