A hundred will turn up at Woodvale, but small is significant this Anzac Day

Mr Barnes will be reading a new poem at the Woodvale Dawn Service, which was attended by 80 to 100 people last year.

"Compared to Bendigo or any of the ones in town, it wouldn't probably stack up, but for a country service here, it's pretty significant," said Mr Barnes.

Mr Barnes was asked to share his poem, Remembering, at the Woodvale Dawn Service after one of his friends, who is one of its organisers, read it and thought it would add to the ceremony.

Mr Barnes said he felt for anyone who was suffering mentally and physically as a result of their service.

"I wouldn't be real keen on rushing and putting my hand up to go and fight overseas or anywhere when I was a young bloke," he said.

"The people who did put themselves out there and put themselves at risk, I think they deserve a pat on the back or whatever you can give."

Mr Barnes' poem examines the effects of conflict across the world and calls for peace and compromise.

"Especially the second part is from watching too much TV news about what's going on around the world and why," Mr Barnes said.

"I just made a bit of a comment about wishing they'd wake up to themselves and live in peace."

We've all gathered here quietly, pre dawn together

To pay out respects, no matter what the weather

To our young men who sent, to some far-off shore

To wage war with an enemy, they'd never known before

Rightly or wrongly, under orders they'd been drilled

Innocent but vulnerable, became trained and highly skilled

But some would never return from the combat they fought

Only psychologically suffering soldiers, survived but distraught

Kept their heads down in the trenches, as the battled raged round

Explosions and gunfire, in nightmares, still echoes the sound

And the injuries they received, they took homeward to heal

Leaving scars many and varied, imagine how they'd feel

No modern day warfare, with its widespread destruction

Civilians keep paying the price, from their leaders instruction

What hope has the future, what seeds will be sown

With conflicting beliefs, when inbred anger, is all they've ever known

It raises the question, about why can't mankind

Stop all this hatred, and stop being so blind

Refrain from retaliation, using military force

Turn back the tide, try compromising as a resource

Overnight, we can't change the world, but we can set an example

Show how to get along, with an integrated nationality sample

So at this ANZAC DAY service, as we observe a minutes silence

Why not pray for world peace, using love and not violence

DAWN SERVICE AND GUNFIRE BREAKFAST What: Dawn Service, followed by a gunfire breakfast. From 7.30am, breakfast will be available for a gold coin donation at the RSL. When: 6 am - 9 am. Where: Camp Hill Memorial, Camp St

COMMEMORATION SERVICE: What: VIPs, Guest Speaker, ADF Catafalque Party from Puckapunyal, local school choirs, clergy, and Heathcote singers. When: 10 am. Where: Heathcote RSL, 127 High St

WREATH LAYING: What: Commemorative wreath laying. When: 10.45am. Where: Heathcote Cenotaph

MARCH: What: March along High St. When: 11.15am. Where: From High St

LUNCH: What: Lunch, $10 per person. When: 11.30. Where: Heathcote RSL, 127 High St. Two-up, refreshments and raffles throughout the afternoon.

DAWN SERVICE: What: Dawn Service. When: 6:00 - 7:00am. Where: Pearce Reserve, Mandurang Rd

DAWN SERVICE: What: Dawn Service followed by breakfast at the Maldon RSL. When: 5:45am Where: The Cenotaph, Maldon Shire Gardens High Street.

MARCH: What: Commemorative march. When: 10.30 am. Where: Outside Maldon Primary School, 109 High Street.

SERVICE: What: The march will be followed by an ANZAC Day service at 11:00am. When: 11 am. Where: The Cenotaph, Maldon Shire Gardens High Street.

What: Service including the stories of several local, well-known service members. When: 9:30 - 10:30am. Where: Borella Park, 2 Allen Street

DAWN SERVICE: What: Dawn service. When: 5:45 am - 6:45 am. Where: Soldiers' Memorial Park, High St

MARCH AND SERVICE: What: March, followed by refreshments and BBQ at the Wedderburn RSL. When: 11 am - 12 pm. Where: Soldiers' Memorial Park, High St

What: Dawn Service, followed by complimentary gunfire breakfast. When: 6 am. Where: Woodvale Hall, 34 Dalys Rd