Well over 5000 people attended the Anzac Day dawn service at Miranda, while more than 1000 turned out at Caringbah.
The Caringbah ceremony always starts at 4.30am – the same as at the Sydney Cenotaph – the hour at which Australian troops began landing at Gallipoli.
Caringbah RSL Sub-branch secretary Bob Tuckwell said the attendance was estimated to be more than 1000, “similar to our biggest numbers two years ago for the centenary”.
”You couldn’t move in the memorial park, and there were crowds stretching right along Port Hacking Road.
“We gave every child a poppy to lay on the memorial.”
There was a huge turnout at Miranda, with the crowd spilling a long way up Central Road.
Miranda RSL Sub-branch president Mike Molloy said there appeared to be more than the 5000 people, who attended last year.
“The number of kids is unbelievable,” he said.
Treasurer Arie Havenaar, who acted as MC, told the gathering, “It’s amazing to stand here and see so many faces”.
Mr Havenaar said the number of school children present was “overwhelming”, and he said this reflected on their teachers.