Wangaratta RSL locks in march and dawn service for 2021 Anzac Day

A decision to stage a march to the cenotaph on the corner of Docker and Ovens streets with 500 participants followed by a service with up to 1000 people in a cordoned off area to adhere to pandemic protocols is locked in.

A dawn service open to the public is also almost certain to go ahead.

Wodonga RSL sub-branch will meet on Saturday in an attempt to lockdown its arrangements for Anzac Day with an 11^th hour offer to use the racecourse to be discussed.

But Wangaratta RSL sub branch president Ash Power said it was full steam ahead with its plans albeit under COVID-19 restrictions.

"The thing which is locked in now is that we're having a march," he said..

"The state government and RSL Victoria are working through a standardised template for all sub branches around the state."

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Mr Power said Wangaratta Council had agreed a march could be held, but with reduced numbers due to COVID-19.

An "in-house" dawn service was originally being planned, but one open to the public with potentially a 1000 people able to attend and one entry point to control numbers to be ticked off next week.

"Unfortunately it is the environment we are living in," Mr Power said.

"Some of the people who will be coming along are elderly and the last thing we want to do is put anyone at risk,"

"We are doing the best we can to make things normal, but also safe.

"It is a pretty good compromise position at the moment."

Mr Power said the RSL would be asking other community members unable to attend to the anticipated dawn service due to crowd cap to assemble in their driveways as they did last year.

Meanwhile, Wodonga RSL president Jim Begley confirmed a meeting was being held on Saturday in the hope arrangements for Anzac Day could be confirmed.

"We can have a march, but we can't handle supervising the people watching," he said.

"There is an option to do it at the racecourse where we can control the numbers better.

"It is a possibility we are looking at."

The option of using the racecourse has come after a meeting between RSL officials and Wodonga Council on Thursday.

The uncertainty around Victorian events is in stark contrast to NSW where it was decided 3000 people could attend an Anzac Day march outside of Sydney where 5000 people can attend.

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