“I tell my grandchildren how fortunate New Zealand has been down at the bottom of the world and away from so much conflict,” Mikaere said.
“But when it counts, we have always been there,” he said.
Mikaere is focused on encouraging younger people to be more involved in the dawn service since he started it in Pāpāmoa three years ago.
“Students from Pāpāmoa College sing the anthems, read the Ode [of Remembrance] and this year we have Scouts who are lowering the half-mast before the start of the ceremony,” Mikaere said.
Mikaere said children performing services were “interested” and “proud to be taking part in the ceremony”.
“Having the students take part underlines the importance of the occasion and it makes them feel good about that.”
Anzac Day is a time to pay respect to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought at Gallipoli in Turkey in World War I.
It has been 109 years since the soldiers landed under fire, where they fought Ottoman forces for eight months.
It was New Zealand’s first major battle of WWI and 2779 of the country’s soldiers were lost.
The red poppy has become a symbol of war remembrance throughout the world and New Zealand uses it for Anzac Day.
Dawn services and marches will be held across Tauranga.
Service Information
Pāpāmoa Memorial Dawn Service: 5.30am, Pāpāmoa Memorial, Stella Place beach car park, Pāpāmoa Beach Rd.
Mount Maunganui Dawn Service: 6am, Mount Maunganui Cenotaph, Marine Parade (opposite Mount Drury).
Dawn parade timetable:
- 5.45am: Assemble at Mount Drury
- 5.55am: March off
- 6am: Service begins
Mount Maunganui Civic Memorial Service: 9.30am, Mount Maunganui Cenotaph, Marine Parade (opposite Mount Drury Reserve, Hopukiore).
Civic parade timetable:
- 9.15am: Assemble at Mount Drury Reserve, Hopukiore
- 9.25am: March off
- 9.30am: Service begins
Tauranga Dawn Service: 6am, Tauranga RSA Cenotaph, 1237 Cameron Rd.
Dawn parade timetable:
- 5.45am: Assemble at Hayes Avenue
- 5.55am: March off
- 6am: Service begins
Tauranga Moana Tumatauenga Anzac commemorations: 5.45am, Waikari Marae, Waikari Rd Matapihi.
Tauranga Civic Memorial Service: 9am, Tauranga Memorial Park, Eleventh Ave.
Civic Parade timetable:
- 8.45am: Parade assemble on the grass beside Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre
- 8.55am: March off
- 9am: Service begins
The 9am service will take place indoors at Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre should poor weather prevent an outside gathering at Memorial Park.
Pyes Pa Remembrance Service: 11am, Pyes Pa Cemetery, 403 Pyes Pa Rd.
Road closures
Mount Maunganui from 2:30am to 12pm:
- Marine Parade between Commons and Banks Ave
- Pacific Avenue between Rita St and Marine Parade
Tauranga city centre from 7am to 12pm:
- Fraser St between Eleventh Ave and Thirteenth Ave
- Eleventh Avenue between Devonport Road and Thirteenth Avenue
Mobility card holders will be able to get through the road closures.
Free park-and-ride service
All park-and-ride buses are accessible for people with limited mobility.
To Mount Maunganui dawn service
A free park-and-ride service will be available from Kawaka St (behind Blake Park) to Maunganui Rd (behind Mount Drury Reserve, Hopukiore). Buses will depart from Kawaka St between 5am and 5.50am, returning at the conclusion of the dawn service between 6.15am and 7.30am.
To Tauranga Civic Service
A free park-and-ride service will be available from Tauranga Boy’s College to Memorial Park between 8am and 8.40am, with buses returning immediately after the service. Buses will drop off and pick up from the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre car park.
Buses will drop off and pick up from the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre car park.
Car Parking
Car parking is available at the Tauranga Boys’ College car park off Devonport Road (between Thirteenth and Fourteenth Avenues), with marshals on-site to help people make their way to the buses. PAK’n’SAVE on Cameron Road (between Ninth and Tenth Avenues) has made its above-ground car park available for people attending the service.
The Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre car park is only available for mobility cardholders.
Anzac biscuit recipe
Anzac biscuits have long been associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzac).
It’s claimed these biscuits were sent by wives and women’s groups to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Edmonds Standard Grade Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 ¾ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup Chelsea White Sugar or Chelsea Raw Sugar
- ¼ cup (firmly packed) Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 125g Butter, cubed
- ¼ cup Chelsea Golden Syrup
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon Edmonds Baking Soda
Method
1. Preheat oven to 150C conventional bake. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the Edmonds Standard Grade Flour and cinnamon. Add the rolled oats, coconut and sugars; mix well.
3. Combine the Tararua Butter, Chelsea Golden Syrup and water in a small saucepan and stir over low-medium heat until the Tararua Butter melts and the mixture is well combined (ensure the mixture does not simmer or boil). Remove from heat and stir in the Edmonds Baking Soda. Add immediately to the dry ingredients and use a wooden spoon to stir until well combined.
4. Roll one to two tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on to a tray about 5cm apart. Use your fingers to flatten each slightly (until they are about 1cm thick) and bake for 16 minutes (for a chewy biscuit), or 20 minutes for a crunchier biscuit.
5. Set aside for five minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
Source: Chelsea New Zealand
Ode of Remembrance
They shall grow not old,
as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them,
nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun
and in the morning
We will remember them.
Response:
We will remember them
Lest we forget
Harriet Laughton is a multi-media journalist based in the Bay of Plenty.
