Bagpipes and trumpets echoed throughout Tauranga neighbourhoods as the sun rose on an Anzac Day like no other.
On April 25, thousands usually visited their local cenotaph for dawn services in remembrance of those soldiers who lost or had their lives shattered by war.
However, the people of Tauranga did not let a nationwide lockdown stop them from commemorating with hundreds heading to their mailboxes in an act of unity this morning.
A Stand At Dawn service was broadcast over RNZ National from 6am, with the Last Post, Ode of Remembrance and New Zealand, Australian and Turkish national anthems played before an address by Ron Mark, Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs.
Front yards were decorated with homemade poppies, while some people headed to their local cenotaph on their morning walk to drop off kind messages.
As Tauranga mayor Tenby Powell said in his Anzac address to the community, this year was the first year since 1919 that the community had not been able to gather and express their "collective grief" on Anzac Day.
The national day was also a chance to thank those returned servicemen and women for the sacrifices they made to "safeguard the freedom we treasure", he said.
But the unity the community showed as they headed to their balconies and mailboxes in remembrance at dawn was something to be admired, he said.
It showed "true nationalism" and hammered home "what it meant to be a Kiwi", he said.
The courage and spirit that the soldiers possessed was vital today as the community took on a new "silent menace that marched upon us".
Powell said it was particularly important to remember past sacrifices as "we gather our strength" to fight this new threat to the community.
He asked for people to "be vigilant" and "kind" to each other at a time of such uncertainty.
Western Bay of Plenty mayor Gary Webber asked for people to take a minute out of their day today to reflect on Anzac Day and what it meant.
He said it was important to remember those who gave their lives for the world we have today.
Local brass band member Trevor Burns decided to head up to a hill in The Lakes suburb to treat the neighbourhood to some "live and real" Anzac music at 6am.
Burns had been playing his trombone in Anzac services for many years and since it was off the cards this year, he said he thought it would be good to put something on for those at their mailboxes at dawn.
Burns warned the neighbourhood on Facebook about his performance and received a hugely positive response from the community.
He played the national anthem and the Last Post and from reports he saw, people had heard it from a long way away.
"The sound carried really well".
He said it was great that people had "genuinely appreciated it".
Mount Maunganui muso Curly Duff had new-found Facebook fame this morning after photos of him playing his bagpipes on the beach did the rounds on local noticeboards.
Duff had put on a parade of his own on his front lawn at dawn with many of his neighbours standing by their mailboxes to listen.
He played Flowers of the Forest, which was typically the song played at the laying of the wreaths at an Anzac service.
His wife and he decided to head to the beach as the sun rose and he took off his shoes to walk into the water and play the tune for those walking on the sand.
He said it had been a "beautiful morning" for it.
Image 1 of 15: Anzac Day in Katikati. Photo / George Novak
He said in times of such uncertainty, people "grabbed on to something interesting and familiar" and that was why he had received such a good response.
The feedback had been amazing with many people making comments to him on the beach and a photo of him on Facebook getting well over 1500 likes.
He said seeing everyone out and paying their respect had really shown "local unity".
Local mum Amanda Hohneck took her 3-year-old daughter Kassie down to the cenotaph first thing to lay poppies.
She said it was their way of "paying tribute" to those who lost their lives and "served and sacrificed" at war.
Hohneck had a number of relatives who fought in both World War I and II.
She said teaching young ones about Anzac Day was important as it was "part of our history" and "the reason we have our freedom today".
"They need to know what our forebearers went through."
She said she would teach her daughter all about it so she can continue to "pay gratitude".
Western Bay of Plenty District could have fewer councillors to vote for next election.
