At least 500 people gathered at Whangārei War District Memorial - The Cenotaph - waiting for the service to begin.
Vietnam Vet Terry Young 80 is pushed in by his daughter Erana Dalzell at Laurie Hall Park. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Umbrellas are erected in the crowd as a small rain shower begins. This year, the crowds are behind barriers and sit up the park banks due to Covid precautions.
Master of Ceremony's David Gilbert begins the service and introduces Bob Rahui to begin a scripture reading.
President of Whangārei RSA Jason Tana begins his speech in Te Reo.
"Anzac Day reminds us of what the Anzac Spirit has taught us"
Police at the Whangārei Anzac Day service. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Tana reads out the names of 30 World War I personnel from the district who did not return home.
Tana says there has been 654 fallen service personnel in total as a district.
Northlanders are gathering at Cenotaphs and other memorials this morning to honour the fallen on Anzac Day.
Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai is speaking.
"Today marks the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers, the ANZAC's, in Galopoli."
Mai said her speech today reflects her first speech in 2015 when the memorial was unveiled.
"On this Anzac Day 2022 we will remember them," Mai said.
The RSA president, Mayor, and Mike Grieve, Whangārei MP Emily Henderson and National List MP Shane Reti are invited up to the memorial to lay a wreath.
All of those attending rise in silence for The Last Post.
Tana ended service at 6.42am and invited members of the public to lay a wreath at the memorial.
A service is underway at Tou Rangatira, a series of carved pou near Te Tii Marae in Waitangi. It's a cool, brisk morning lit only by the moon, stars and a line-up of planets.
The himene and chants of a minister are blending with reggae beats from a car parked behind the pou.
The gathering has just paid its respects to the pou and is now singing in full voice the Māori Battalion song.
A crowd is starting to gather at the Paihia RSA on Joyces Rd. They include families with young children, keas, cubs and scouts from Paihia Scouts, police officers and volunteer firefighters.
The big screen at Laurie Hall Park says it all on Anzac Day. Photo / Michael Cunningham
By 5.50am at least 150 people have gathered inside the Paihia RSA waiting for the parade to begin.
By 6am the crowd has swelled to at least 300. Piper Bruce Finlayson from Whangārei is warming up his bagpipes ahead of the march down Williams Rd to the waterfront, where the service will be held beside a propeller from the Navy frigate Canterbury. The rest of the vessel is at the bottom of Deep Water Cove.
