Melbourne Legacy’s annual ANZAC Commemoration Ceremony For Students is a traditional event that has spanned decades. This year, marking the 88th Commemorative Ceremony, over three and half thousand students gathered at the Shrine of Remembrance to honour the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have served our country.

Receiving a sprig of rosemary, redolent with ancient symbology and significant for its presence on the slopes of Gallipoli, students were encouraged to wear the medals of deceased relatives on their right hand side.

The Governor of Victoria, The Honourable Linda Dessau AC, addressed the students in a moving speech that thanked Legacy for our ongoing work with the families of veterans, and also noted the service of those men and women currently on active duty.

Following a ceremony that included Defence Force Cadets, school band, choir, and a RAAF fly-over, many young people took the opportunity to visit the Crypt and Galleries of Remembrance inside the Shrine, where staff and volunteers were available to engage with and answer any questions.

Thousands of students pausing to reflect on the monumental impact that losing 60,000 young Australians between 1914-’18 had on our country, in a war that irrevocably shaped our nation, resonates today as we commemorate risk, valour and honour – vowing not to forget.

School children approaching the Shrine in 1945 to lay their wreaths.