“It was an unreal crowd. I’d say the dawn service was comparable to last year,” he said.

“The weather was just magic. It would have been nice to see some rain because God knows we need it, but it really turned it on for us.” 

Mr Reading said the address by guest speaker Chief Petty Officer Colin Frampton from the Royal Australian Navy had been well received.

“His address on the peace keeping operations in East Timor was really interesting,” he said.

“A lot of people would think there is some local connection there.

“(Brigadier Frampton) was born in Ararat, but he moved away from there not long afterwards.”

Mr Reading said a highlight of the services was the large number of young people in attendance.

“It really makes you feel good to know the kids want to be involved,” he said.

“To me that’s the really big thing that stands out in recent years, just how many youngsters there are at these services.

“It was great to attend the secondary college service last Friday and participate in that. The kids really take it to heart.

“For a returned service man or woman it makes you feel really good to know that the kids are interested.”