Anzac Day services and marches are back this Sunday — but the century-old tradition still won't be the same as before the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year marks the first time in two years that public commemorations to honour the sacrifices of Australia's military forces will be given the go-ahead.
It comes after much of the community marked the nation's day of mourning at home, in driveways and on balconies amid the height of the pandemic last year.
While people can honour the fallen and those who served in Australia's military at official dawn services and marches, strict COVIDSafe protocols will apply.
Some of Australia's most iconic ceremonies have been relocated, while others have restricted numbers, with some events for veterans and serving personnel only.
If you're staying at home, the RSL encourages people to light a candle and stand in their driveway, balcony or living room to Light up the Dawn and observe a minute's silence.
Here's how you can mark Anzac Day in your state:
ACT
This Anzac Day, the traditional march will not be held in Canberra due to concerns about COVID-19.
For the second year in a row, the march of thousands will not go ahead.
A smaller march of 200 veterans will be permitted, up Anzac Parade, towards the Australian War Memorial.
Canberra's commemorative services at the War Memorial will have a maximum capacity of 7,200 people.
Tickets to the dawn service sold out earlier this month.
"If you don't have a ticket, please don't come," the Australian War Memorial's assistant director of public programs Anne Bennie said.
"There are opportunities to watch it on TV and … we've got [the] Anzac at Home initiative up on our website as well."
Find out more here.
New South Wales
Sydney's official Anzac Day Dawn Service starts at the Cenotaph in Martin Place from 4:30am.
This year, the event is ticketed to comply with COVIDSafe rules and all tickets have been allocated.
Main roads in Sydney’s CBD will be closed from 2:00am until after the Anzac Day March, which starts at 9:00am.
Marchers will assemble at the intersection of Martin Place and Elizabeth Street and the parade will go down Elizabeth Street, ending at the Liverpool Street end of Hyde Park.
Representatives of the Navy, Army and Air Force will march first, followed by civilians who support Australian troops, then descendants of Australian veterans, the Commonwealth and other allies.
An exemption has been given for the march that will cap numbers at 10,000 people.
Other Anzac Day marches and services can go ahead as COVIDSafe events, with up to 5,000 people subject to the 2-square-metre rule.
The NSW government has urged people to celebrate locally by attending community services.
Find out more here.
Northern Territory
In the Top End, Darwin and Palmerston are already lit up in honour of Anzac Day to honour the work of service personnel.
A special ceremony will take place from 4:30pm on Saturday to mark 100 years of the Darwin Cenotaph War Memorial.
Governor-General of the Commonwealth David Hurley will be there and will also join the 6:00am dawn service on Sunday at the Cenotaph.
Returned soldiers will then march through the CBD, starting at the Esplanade end of Knuckey Street at 9:00am, with no caps on numbers.
In Palmerston, after a 4:30am gunfire breakfast at Cazaly’s Club, a dawn service will be held at Memorial Park, followed by a march starting at 9:00am at the Bunnings car park.
In rural areas, a dawn service will be held at the Cenotaph in Katherine at 6:00am followed by a 9:30am march on Katherine Terrace.
The dawn service at Alice Springs will be held at 6:00am at the Soldiers Memorial at the Garden Cemetery, instead of Anzac Hill, without a cap on attendance.
Find out more here.
Queensland
Commemorations are being held across Queensland, where you can choose to attend official events or reflect at home.
Brisbane's dawn service begins at 4:28am at the city's Shrine of Remembrance and is not ticketed, with unrestricted public access.
People still need to comply with COVIDSafe requirements and carry a mask if social distancing becomes difficult.
The city's Anzac Day Parade kicks off at 10:00am at the corner of George and Elizabeth streets, heading down its traditional route on Adelaide Street, before the march ends in Creek Street.
The picturesque dawn service at Elephant Rock at Currumbin on the Gold Coast, which attracts more than 15,000 people and is nationally televised, will again not go ahead this year.
Instead, its commemorations have been relocated to the Currumbin RSL cenotaph.
The dawn and mid-morning service there won't be for the public — only Currumbin RSL sub branch members, serving personnel and veterans can attend.
It's a case of first in, first served due to capacity.
Townsville's Anzac Day dawn service will be held at Riverway Stadium this year.
The ticketed event will have an 8,000-person capacity and allow for contact tracing.
Priority tickets will be made available to ex-service people and their families.
Find out more here.
South Australia
Numbers will be down at dawn services in South Australia because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Only 2,500 people will be allowed to attend the Adelaide dawn service at the National War Memorial on North Terrace.
Tickets are free but need to be booked online before attending.
Another 1,500 will be able to attend the Anzac Day Service of Remembrance at the Cross of Sacrifice at Pennington Gardens from 11:00am.
The Anzac Day March on North Terrace and King William Road, starting at 9:30am, will only be open to families of those marching and to veterans who choose not to march.
Some other dawn services have been cancelled – such as those planned for Unley and Glenelg and the Brighton dawn service, which will be held at Brighton Oval rather than the Arch of Remembrance on the foreshore to allow for more social distancing.
Two other large dawn services – those at Morphett Vale and Semaphore – will go ahead at the same location as usual, but attendees will need to book free tickets.
Find out more here.
Tasmania
Across Tasmania, there will be 140 Anzac Day events held across the state's cities and towns.
In Hobart, the dawn service starts at 6:00am at the Cenotaph but numbers will be capped at 3,000. People need to register on the RSL Tasmania website.
This year's march in the state's capital is smaller, only restricted to veterans and service defence force personnel.
It kicks off from Macquarie Street at 11:00am, finishing at the Cenotaph.
The main service starts at noon at the Cenotaph, again with a cap of 3,000 people who are required to pre-register.
In Launceston, there will be a dawn service at 6:00am at the Cenotaph, followed by the march, which starts at 10:30am, going from Princes Square march to the Cenotaph where the main service begins at 1:00am.
No-one is required to pre-register but people will need to sign in on the day as per COVID protocols.
The RSL says COVIDSafe plans have been put in place for all events.
Find out more here.
Victoria
The dawn service will be held at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, with only 1,400 people allowed to attend.
All tickets have already been allocated so Victorians are being asked to watch the live stream from 5:40am.
The Anzac Day march will return and will also be live-streamed.
The Public Health Advisory Panel, Chief Health Officer and the Major Events Taskforce have granted approval for 5,500 marchers to participate — anyone wanting to march must register before they attend.
The Anzac Day Melbourne Commemoration Ceremony occurs at the Shrine of Remembrance immediately after the march and includes the Official Wreath Laying Service.
Attendees will need to scan a QR code at the event location, follow RSL Victoria COVID Marshalls instructions, and adhere to all state health guidelines.
Western Australia
Perth and the Peel region have been plunged into a three-day lockdown from midnight Friday after several people contracted COVID-19 while staying in hotel quarantine.
So unfortunately, Anzac Day services around the Perth and Peel regions have been cancelled, with Premier Mark McGowan urging people to take part in driveway dawn services instead.
ABC Radio Perth will broadcast a special Light Up The Dawn broadcast of The Ode, the Last Post, the Minute's Silence and Rouse from 6:00am.
