ANZAC Day 2026 is a little different. Because it falls on a Saturday, the public holiday arrangements vary by state and territory.
If you’re planning a caravan or camping trip around it, it’s worth knowing where you stand before you book.
Is ANZAC Day 2026 a Public Holiday? Which States Get Monday Off?
Why Camp Near an ANZAC Day Dawn Service?
Instead of simply escaping for the weekend, consider building your trip around attending a dawn service in a regional town.
Because, there’s something genuinely different about experiencing ANZAC Day away from the city. Smaller communities put on deeply personal, unhurried services. You’re standing among locals whose family connections to the day go back generations. The crowds are manageable, the atmosphere is intimate, and you’re often just a short walk from your campsite.
Arrive the evening before, wake before sunrise, attend the service, then spend the rest of the day exactly as you please. Whether that is exploring the town, hitting a walking trail, or sitting by the campfire with a cuppa. It’s a quiet way to acknowledge the day that feels entirely in keeping with the spirit of travelling slowly through Australia.
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ANZAC Day Dawn Services Worth Camping Near – By State & Territory
Every state and territory has something worth waking up early for on ANZAC Day. From beach landings and mountaintop crosses to ghost town memorials and outback cenotaphs.
Queensland
Currumbin Beach, Gold Coast – Billed by the Currumbin RSL as Australia’s largest regional dawn service, held at Elephant Rock right on the beach.
Elephant Rock Dawn Service Timeline
The march starts: 4:35am – The service starts: 5am – as the sun rises over the ocean, lighting displays illuminate the rock in a way that’s hard to forget.
Gun Fire Breakfast following the dawn service back at Currumbin RSL.
More Information at Currumbin RSL
Hervey Bay, Fraser Coast – The march steps off at 5am from the RSL Club with the dawn service at Freedom Park at 5:30am. Hervey Bay is a natural base for Fraser Island (K’gari) and the surrounding coast – caravan parks are plentiful and autumn weather on the Fraser Coast is about as good as it gets.
Charters Towers – The dawn service at the War Memorial Cemetery – north of town on the Lynd Highway – commences at 5:50am. Charters Towers is one of Queensland’s most historically rich gold rush towns, and the quiet drama of a service held in a hillside cemetery makes for a genuinely memorable ANZAC Day. Good caravan options in town.
Evelyn Scrub, Atherton Tablelands – Less than two hours from Cairns – For something truly off the beaten track: a 6:30am service at a lone Cenotaph in a glade of gumtrees, behind a set of cattle yards. More than 70% of the local men who enlisted were killed or wounded, and the community itself faded away – leaving only the memorial. One of those places that stays with you. The Tablelands has excellent camping and is well worth an extended stay.
New South Wales & ACT
Terrigal Beach, Central Coast – A striking and unusual service – surfboats land on the beach at dawn as the sun rises across the water, with a helicopter flyover completing the scene.
March Assembly: 5:00 AM at Church Street (next to the Police Station).
March Starts: 5:15 AM.
Service Starts: 5:30 AM – Terrigal Beach Foreshore War Memorial
Gunfire Breakfast: Typically held at the Terrigal Surf Club around 6:30 AM.
Terrigal has good caravan and holiday park options and is an easy drive north from Sydney.
Newcastle – The dawn service at Camp Shortland starts at 5am with a four-gun salute for the fallen, followed by a flyover and a march at 9:15am. Newcastle is well set up for campers – good parks in and around the city and up into the Hunter Valley.
Bathurst – One of the earlier starts in the state – the dawn service at 4:30am, main march and service at 10:15am, and a sunset service at the war graves in Bathurst Cemetery at 5:15pm. A full day of commemoration in a town that takes ANZAC Day seriously. Plenty ofcaravan parks in the region.
Jindabyne, Snowy Mountains – The service at Banjo Paterson Park at 6am, with the march stepping off at 9:30am. What makes Jindabyne special is the long-standing participation of the Snowy Mountains Horse Riders Association – a real sense of regional tradition. The Snowy Mountains in late April are cool, crisp and spectacular, with some of the best camping in NSW right on the doorstep.
Victoria
Mt Macedon Memorial Cross – A 21-metre cross at the summit of Mt Macedon with spectacular views back towards Melbourne.
A dawn service commences here at 6am, in cool mountain air with the city glowing in the distance. Camping options in the Macedon Ranges are close by and the area is lovely in autumn.
Ballarat – The dawn service at the Ballarat Cenotaph on Sturt Street starts at 6am, followed by a gunfire breakfast at the RSL. What makes Ballarat special is the number of services spread across the town – including at the Arch of Victory and the Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial.
Warrnambool – A 5:30am dawn service at the War Memorial, gunfire breakfast at the RSL, and a march at 10:45am. Warrnambool in autumn is quiet, scenic and well set up for caravanners – the Great Ocean Road to the east and the Shipwreck Coast to the west make this a natural touring hub.
Cowes Cenotaph, Phillip Island – A quieter, more intimate service right beside the water, with the sun rising over Bass Strait. A 6am Dawn Service on the Esplanade at the Cowes Cenotaph, followed in the late morning Muster and March from Erehwon Point and 11am Commemorative Service.
South Australia
Berri – Big 4 Riverside Holiday Park – The dawn service at Berri Riverside Park starts at 5:45am. Followed by a wreath laying ceremony and a community gathering with tea, coffee and scones. Stay at the Berri Riverside BIG4 Holiday Park – right on the Murray River – and you’re perfectly placed for an early start, walk to the Memorial Garden.
Barossa Valley – Nuriootpa & Tanunda Two services within a short drive of each other in the heart of the Barossa. Nuriootpa at 6:15am on Memorial Avenue, Tanunda at 6:30am. Autumn in the Barossa is arguably the best time of year to visit – the vines are turning, the air is crisp, and the caravan parks and farm stays are peaceful. Find holiday parks in the Barossa.
Clare Valley – A 5:45am dawn service at the War Memorial Gates, followed by breakfast at the Valleys Lifestyle Centre. Clare is a lovely town to spend a few nights – great walking trails and cellar doors. Easy to combine with a Flinders Ranges trip.
Flinders Ranges – Hawker & Quorn – Both Hawker (8am, War Memorial) and Quorn (10:45am) hold services. The backdrop of the Flinders at this time of year is extraordinary. Camping here in late April is close to perfect – cool nights, clear skies, and the ochre country all to yourself.
Farina, Outback SA – mark your diary for 2027– Worth a mention even though it’s not on this year. Farina is a ghost town about 600km north of Adelaide – the last shop closed in the 1960s. Every three years a crowd of several hundred gathers at a War Memorial overlooking a gum-lined creek for a dawn service. This is unlike anything else in Australia. The next service is 2027. The Farina campground, set among the stone ruins, is a brilliant base when it’s on. Keep an eye on the Farina Restoration Project for details.
Tasmania
Kingston Beach War Memorial – Right beside the beach, looking out to sea towards the rising sun. A quieter, deeply local service just south of Hobart – pairs beautifully with a stay in the Huon Valley or Channel area, some of Tasmania’s most beautiful caravan country.
Launceston – The dawn service at the Launceston Cenotaph on Paterson Street at 6am, followed by breakfast at the Launceston RSL. A fantastic base for the Tamar Valley, the Midlands and the north-east coast – autumn in Tasmania is genuinely spectacular.
Strahan, West Coast – One of the more remote options – the dawn service at Anzac Park on the Strahan Esplanade at 6:30am. In a town of just a few hundred people on the edge of one of Australia’s great wilderness areas. If you’re touring the West Coast, this is a memorable way to mark the day.
Bicheno, East Coast – Assembly at 5:45am for the 6am service. A small, community-driven service in one of Tasmania’s most picturesque coastal towns. The East Coast in autumn is one of Australia’s great caravan touring routes, and Bicheno sits right in the middle of it.
Western Australia
Albany – If you only ever visit one regional service in WA, make it Albany. This is where Australia’s very first dawn service was held. Padre White conducted the inaugural service here after WWI troops departed from Albany’s port, making it the birthplace of a tradition now observed across the country and beyond.
The service is held at the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial on Mount Clarence at 5:30am, with a gunfire breakfast to follow at the Albany Entertainment Centre.
The National ANZAC Centre is also here and worth a visit during the day.
Margaret River – The dawn service at Memorial Park starts at 6am. It is followed by a parade at 11:30am along Bussell Highway. Margaret River in late April is a beautiful time. Summer crowds gone, weather cooler, wine country and coastline at their most quietly impressive.
Bunbury – Over 3,000 people attend Bunbury’s dawn service – remarkable for a regional city. The RSL Hall opens at 4:30am for tea, coffee and ANZAC biscuits before the march to the War Memorial in Anzac Park. A solid stopover on the drive south.
Northern Territory
Darwin Cenotaph – Set in parkland overlooking the harbour, the Darwin Cenotaph carries profound weight. This is where NT servicemen departed for war, and where the bombing of Darwin unfolded in 1942. The memorial has withstood 63 Japanese air attacks, cyclones and earthquakes. A 6am dawn service here, in the warm Top End morning, is unlike any other in the country. Darwin has a good range of caravan parks and late April marks the start of the dry season. It’s one of the best times of year to be on the road in the Territory.
Katherine – The dawn service at the Katherine Cenotaph at 5:45am.
Katherine sits at the crossroads of the Stuart and Victoria Highways.
it is a natural staging point for the gorge, the Top End and the Kimberley.
Alice Springs – The dawn service at the Garden Cemetery War Memorial at 6am.
With the main Anzac Hill service at 10:30am. Anzac Hill itself – with panoramic views over the town and the MacDonnell Ranges. This one of the most dramatic service settings in the country. The Red Centre in late April is ideal: warm days, cool nights, the desert at its most vivid.
A Few Tips for Planning Around an ANZAC Day Dawn Service
- Arrive the night before. Services start early – some as early as 4:30am – so being camped nearby removes all morning stress. Search for holiday parks near your chosen service and book ahead.
- Confirm service times with your local RSL. Times and locations vary and are sometimes updated close to the date. Most RSL branches publish details on their websites and Facebook pages.
- Book early – especially in NSW, ACT and WA. With the three-day long weekend, parks around popular service locations will fill up fast.
- Dress in layers. Autumn mornings across most of Australia can be genuinely cold before sunrise, especially inland. Bring a jacket you won’t mind wearing over your pyjamas.
- Allow time for the day. Many towns hold both a dawn service and a later commemorative march. it’s worth staying for both and exploring the town afterwards.
Don’t Have a Caravan? Hire One for the Weekend
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Hiring through Camplify includes comprehensive damage protection and 24/7 roadside assistance, so even first-timers can hit the road with confidence. With ANZAC Day weekend coming up fast, it’s worth searching sooner rather than later.
Browse Camplify by state: NSW ·VIC ·QLD ·WA ·SA ·TAS ·ACT ·NT
Whether you’re making the most of a long-weekend or heading out for an overnighter, ANZAC Day is one of autumn’s best reasons to get the caravan or tent out. And if you’ve never woken up in a regional town for a dawn service, this might be the year to try it.
Know of a particularly special dawn service near a great camping spot? Let us know in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states get a long weekend for ANZAC Day 2026?
ACT, NSW and WA all get Monday 27 April as a substitute public holiday, creating a three-day long weekend. All other states and territories observe ANZAC Day on the Saturday only.
When does the ANZAC Day dawn service start?
Service times vary by location, but most dawn services begin between 5am and 6:30am. Some, like Bathurst NSW, start as early as 4:30am. Always check with your local RSL for confirmed times.
Where is a good place to camp for ANZAC Day in Australia?
It depends on your state and how much time you have. Standout options include:
Albany WA – where Australia’s first ever dawn service was held
Jindabyne NSW – Snowy Mountains atmosphere, horseback riders
Currumbin Beach QLD – Australia’s largest regional service
Alice Springs NT – dawn service at Anzac Hill with panoramic desert views
ANZAC Day 2026: Saturday 25 April. Substitute public holiday Monday 27 April applies to ACT, NSW and WA only.
