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ANZAC Day

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ANZAC DAY 2025

Friday 25 April 2025 is ANZAC Day and commemorative services are being held across the Hilltops Region. These services give the public, ex-service personnel, and those currently serving the opportunity to remember the fallen and reflect on and pay their respects to those involved in the events that took place during WWI, WWII, and all conflicts since then.

The following services will take place across the Hilltops:

BENDICK MURRELL

Wreath-laying ceremony at Bendick Murrell Memorial Hall from 9am. 

BOOROWA

Dawn Service at Boorowa War Memorial from 6am followed by a ‘gunfire’ breakfast.

Boorowa march will start at 10:30am. Participants are asked to assemble at 10:15am adjacent to the Old Court House Grounds. The march will continue from the corner of Queen and Marsden Street to the War Memorial for the service at 11am.

BRIBBAREE

Bribbaree service at the Cenotaph in ANZAC Park, including a wreath laying at 4pm.

CROWTHER

A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the Crowther Memorial Gates at 10:15am.

GALONG

Dawn Service will be held at 6am in front of the Galong Memorial Hall, followed by breakfast in the hall.

HARDEN-MURRUMBURRAH

Dawn Service at Newson Park, Harden, from 6am.

Harden’s march will begin at 10:45am. Participants are asked to meet at 10:30am at the Harden Mechanics Institute. The march will continue to Newson Park, where a memorial service will be conducted at 11am. In the case of inclement weather, the services will be held at the Harden Mechanics Institute.

Murrumburrah’s service at the Lighthouse Memorial will commence at 12:15pm with the Australian Light Horse – Murrumburrah Light Horse Troop in attendance.

JUGIONG

Jugiong’s march will start at 3:30pm from the Jugiong Police Station and conclude at the Memorial Park on Riverside Drive, where a memorial service will be conducted. Participants are asked to assemble at 3:15pm.

KOORAWATHA

Dawn Service from 6am at the War Memorial Gates in Koorawatha. Participants are asked to assemble at 5:45am on Boorowa Street, adjacent to the War Memorial Gates.

There will also be a march and memorial service at 10:45am. Participants are to assemble in Boorowa Street, adjacent to Koorawatha Regional Rooms, then march east from old western store end of Boorowa Street to the Memorial Gates for the service. The memorial service will be held at Koorawatha Memorial Gates at 11am.

All descendants wearing medals are welcome to join the march.

MONTEAGLE

A wreath-laying ceremony will be held at the Monteagle Community Hall from 2pm with a service to follow.

MURRINGO

Murringo service will be held at the Murringo Memorial Hall from 8:30am. Participants are asked to assemble at 8:15am at Murringo Public School for the march south to the Murringo Memorial Hall for the memorial service.

RUGBY

Dawn Service at Rugby Memorial Hall from 6:30am followed by breakfast.

WIRRIMAH

Wirrimah will hold a memorial service at 8:15am in the Wirrimah Memorial Park.

WOMBAT

Dawn Service will commence at 6am (corner of Rose and Young Street), followed by presentations of prayers and hymns, the laying of wreaths and the sounding of the bugle.

The Australian Light Horse – Murrumburrah Light Horse Troop, bagpiper and cadets will be in attendance.

YOUNG

Dawn Service will be held adjacent to the Young Town Hall Memorial Tower at 5:45am in Boorowa Street.

Cemetery services will be held at the old gate of the Young Cemetery, followed by the Young Lawn Cemetery, following the dawn service.

Participants in the march are asked to assemble at 10:15am on Boorowa Street adjacent to the Young Town Hall Memorial Tower. At 10:45am, the march will commence east along Boorowa Street, then north along Lynch Street, west along Lovell Street to Anderson Park Memorial for the 11am Memorial Service.

 

Boorowa

Nominations for the following Australia Day Awards in Boorowa have now closed.

Harden

Nominations for the following Australia Day Awards in Harden are now open:  

  • Junior Citizen of the Year (Aged Under 18) 
  • Citizen of the Year (Aged 18 and over) 
  • Community Group of the year  
  • Town Care Award 

The Harden area includes Harden-Murrumburrah and the villages of Galong and Jugiong. Nominations are to be in writing with a short resume about the person being nominated.  

Nominations for Harden Australia Day Awards close on Friday 9 January 2026. 

2026 Harden Australia Day Nomination Form

Download here

Young

Nominations for the following Australia Day Awards in Young are now open:  

  • Junior Citizen of the Year  
  • Citizen of the Year  
  • Business of the Year 
  • Sports Person of the Year 

The Young area includes Young and the villages of Koorawatha, Bribbaree, Monteagle, Milvale, Murringo, Bendick Murrell and Maimuru.  

Nominations for Young awards close on Friday 9 January 2026.   

2026 Young Australia Day Nomination Form

Download here

Hilltops Region 2026 Australia Day Ambassadors Announced 

Boorowa – Ms. Mel Thomas

Harden – Mr. Khushaal Vyas

Young – Mr. Warwick Nowland

Mel Thomas is a leading advocate for youth empowerment and women’s safety, and the Founder and CEO of KYUP! Project—a national self-worth and violence-prevention organisation that has reached more than 40,000 young people across Australia. Since launching KYUP! in 2013, Mel has partnered with over 40 regional councils, NSW Government, NSW Police and PCYC to deliver programs that build confidence, strengthen boundaries and teach practical safety skills.

Her lived experience with violence shaped her purpose: to break cycles, elevate self-worth and give young people—especially girls—the tools to protect themselves physically, emotionally and socially. Today, Mel leads a team of 50 female black belt instructors who combine martial arts expertise with emotional resilience training, creating programs that change lives.

Mel’s impact has been widely recognised. She is Manly Northern Beaches Citizen of the Year 2025, a Cosmopolitan Woman of the Year, an Australian of the Year nominee, and a finalist in multiple national leadership and community impact awards. She is also a two-time Australian Hapkido Woman of the Year, a second-dan black belt martial artist and an invited speaker at national conferences on domestic violence prevention, youth wellbeing and gender equality. Her thought leadership extends to published work in the Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun.

Currently, Mel is expanding KYUP!’s reach into the Central Tablelands, Shoalhaven and Northern Rivers, with initiatives including Prepared Not Scared—a national Schoolies safety program—an Indigenous-specific empowerment program, a youth advisory board and digital mentoring platforms. She is also campaigning for stronger domestic and intimate-partner violence education in schools and supporting young leaders to use their voices for change.

As an Australia Day Ambassador, Mel celebrates the strength, diversity and generosity of Australians while acknowledging the challenges we must overcome—particularly around women’s safety. For her, being Australian means resilience, fairness and showing up for one another. Through her platform, she empowers the next generation to know their worth and stand strong, because when young people feel valued and confident, everything changes.

Khushaal Vyas is a respected human rights lawyer, social commentator and not-for-profit leader whose work champions fairness, inclusion and opportunity for young Australians. A finalist in the 2025 Lawyers Weekly 30 Under 30 Awards, Khushaal has built a career dedicated to protecting vulnerable workers and amplifying diverse voices.

After starting as a commercial litigator at global law firm Baker McKenzie, Khushaal transitioned to community law, becoming a Senior Solicitor at Youth Law Australia, a national legal centre providing free advice and representation to anyone under 25. Specialising in employment law, he advocates for young people facing unfair dismissal, underpayment, workplace exploitation and sexual harassment. Khushaal regularly travels interstate and to regional communities in NSW and the Northern Territory to deliver outreach programs and legal education, ensuring that young Australians wherever they may be have access to justice.

Beyond his legal practice, Khushaal teaches Employment Law at the University of New South Wales, shaping the next generation of legal professionals. His commitment to equity extends to governance and policy, serving as a Board Director of Youth Action NSW and as a member of the Multicultural NSW Advisory Board, where he advises on multicultural affairs and social cohesion.

Khushaal is also a prominent voice in public discourse, contributing commentary on law reform, social justice and diversity to leading publications including the Sydney Morning Herald, ABC, Guardian, Crikey, Pedestrian and Indian Link. His advocacy reflects a deep belief in the power of dialogue and representation to drive systemic change.

Recognised with the Multicultural NSW Youth Medal, Khushaal has co-founded outreach and education programs for Indigenous and multicultural communities across Western Sydney and regional NSW. His leadership continues to influence government, tertiary and commercial organisations on issues of inclusion and international engagement.

Away from his professional commitments, Khushaal is a self-confessed cricket purist which means he is absolutely loving the end of “Bazball” in this Ashes series.

As an Australia Day Ambassador, Khushaal celebrates the values of fairness, diversity and community. For him, Australia Day is an opportunity to reflect on the strength of our multicultural identity and inspire young Australians to speak up, stand together and shape a future built on equality and respect.

Warwick Nowland is driven by a belief that everyone has the potential to achieve greatness. A two-time FIM Endurance World Champion and winner of the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans motorcycle race, Warwick’s career is a testament to resilience, adaptability and the pursuit of excellence.

Growing up in Quirindi, NSW, Warwick’s journey began far from the global racing circuits where he would later make history. After moving to Sydney as a teenager to complete a motor-mechanic apprenticeship, a serious road accident changed his trajectory, igniting a passion for competitive racing. From local Australian championships to the international stage, Warwick competed in British Superbike, AMA events in the USA, and ultimately dominated endurance racing. His crowning achievements include two World Championships (2000 and 2002) and leading the Chinese-backed Zongshen Suzuki Team to its first world title – a milestone that elevated Australia’s profile in global motorsport.

Beyond the track, Warwick transitioned into team management and mentorship, guiding emerging riders and sharing his wealth of experience. His leadership roles with MV Agusta in the British Superbike Championship and Australian Supersport teams reflect his commitment to developing talent and fostering success.

In recent years, Warwick has quietly pursued studies in psychology and human behaviour, driven by a desire to help individuals and teams unlock their full potential. His analytical approach extends to basketball, where he works behind the scenes with athletes and sports doctors to enhance performance. “I truly believe everyone can be happy and fulfilled,” Warwick says. “Often, we lock ourselves in habitual behaviours – I like to find ways to unlock those patterns.”

As an Australia Day Ambassador, Warwick brings a message of perseverance, self-belief and community spirit. For him, being Australian means embracing mateship, diversity and the courage to chase big dreams. Looking ahead, Warwick remains passionate about empowering others – on the track, on the court and in life – proving that success is not just about winning, but about inspiring others to reach their potential.