Published on Friday, 1 May 2026 at 5:55:07 PM
As the first light of dawn broke over Merredin on Saturday 25 April 2026, approximately 400 community members and travellers stood side by side at the Cenotaph. They gathered not only to honour the ANZACs, but to pay tribute to everyone who has fought for our country. The morning began with a parade down Barrack Street, led by veterans and emergency service volunteers to the resonant sounds of Reagan Jones on the bagpipes.
Deputy Shire President Phil Van Der Merwe opened the 6:00am service, reflecting on how the Gallipoli landings forged a legacy of courage among the 417,000 Australians who enlisted. Following prayers led by Joel Hammen, a record number of attendees laid sprigs of rosemary before Aub Tompkin recited the Ode.
As the sun continued to rise over the horizon, Natalie Warnock’s trumpet echoed through the streets as she performed the Last Post which was followed by one minute's silence. The national anthems of Australia and New Zealand were sung by talented local singer Jade Healey-Ratima.
The morning concluded with a Gunfire Breakfast proudly sponsored by Collgar Renewables and kindly cooked by the Merredin Men’s Shed.
The commemorations continued at 11:00am at the Cummins Theatre with approximately 100 people in attendance. Deputy Shire President Phil Van Der Merwe, again serving as MC, opened the service with a deeply moving tribute to the families left behind. He spoke of the agonising silence that once filled Australian homes - the long, heavy months spent waiting for any word from a loved one at war. In a moment that touched everyone present, he reflected on the ultimate cruelty of war: the cherished, hand-written letters that would sometimes arrive on a doorstep only after the family had received the dreaded pink telegram.
Following these reflections, Father Philip Perreau led the prayers, and A Choired Taste performed a beautiful rendition of the hymn Amazing Grace.
The guest speaker this year was Mr. Lachlan Hunter MLA; Member for Central Wheatbelt, Shadow Minister for Agriculture & Food, Racing & Gaming. Mr. Hunter paid tribute to the courage of all who have served, sharing personal stories of his own Wheatbelt ancestors, William Davies and George Moore, which brought the sacrifice of war close to home.
The service continued with a wreath-laying accompanied by the bagpipes, the Ode read by Mr. Hunter, and the Last Post. After A Choired Taste led the national anthems and a stirring performance of My Country, the day ended with a community lunch provided by Collgar Renewables and kindly prepared by the Merredin Croquet Club.
The Shire would like to thank our sponsors Collgar Renewables and Merredin IGA for their continued support of Anzac Day. We’re also incredibly grateful to everyone who volunteered their time, whether you were part of the services or helped out behind the scenes. Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to the Shire staff for all their hard work in making sure everything ran smoothly on the day.
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