‘LEST WE FORGET’… 2026 ANZAC DAY IN ESK

 

Esk Cenotaph ANZAC Day 2026

When you go home, tell them of us, and say, for your tomorrows these gave their todays...  

an epitaph which has become synonymous with wars and words which echoed through the Esk Memorial Park on ANZAC Day 2026.  While this day in Esk may have lacked the scale and spectacle of ceremonies around Australian cities, the meaning of the day was no less powerfully felt by those who gathered around the cenotaph in the Esk Memorial Park on this cool and blustery morning. 

Piper Joe McGhee

A large crowd gathered as the service unfolded with the steady rhythm of tradition. Church and community leaders, politicians, and RSL Subbranch executives delivered their prayers and opening addresses with a simplicity that underscored their sincerity.    Esk Choir’s Susie and Maree sang the New Zealand and Australian National Anthems as families and community members assembled in respectful silence.   The laying of wreaths, Matthew Lukritz’s resounding delivery of the Last Post, the shared pause of reflection followed by Rouse, Piper Joe McGhee’s Going Home as veterans gathered to honour the fallen, all carried out in a stillness which allowed the significance of remembering to resonate around the park.

A highlight of the service was the ANZAC Day address delivered so eloquently by the two Toogoolawah High School Captains, Grace Jardine and Lily Eggleston, their words speaking to the enduring importance of remembering sacrifice and the connection to the responsibilities of the younger generations and communities in preserving those stories.

Despite the challenging conditions in blustery winds, Choir Director and accompanist, Alexis FitzGerald remained composed and committed at the keyboard while the Esk Community Choir delivered their moving musical contributions to this ANZAC Day service, performing a selection of reflective and inspiring songs. Their performance surely an understated reminder of perseverance in the face of difficulty which ANZAC Day seeks to honour.

RSL Subbranch President 
Charlie Elwell

Adding a distinct local flavour to the ceremony was the presence of Esk RSL Subbranch President, Charlie Elwell. Known around town as something of a ‘character’, Charlie’s address brought warmth and a balance between reverence and familiarity, serving as a reminder that ANZAC Day is as much about people as it is about history.

Though simple in its form, 2026 ANZAC Day in Esk demonstrated that the power of remembrance does not depend on scale, that the meaning of the day is still felt just as strongly through family and community connection and a deep understanding of the sacrifices that define this day.

By: Sue Walker

Esk Community Choir

Maree Lansdown

Veteran's Prayer for the Fallen