Before dawn, the mountain was already alive.
Headlights traced a slow, winding path up Mount Macedon as thousands made their silent pilgrimage through the darkness, to a place where memory lingers in the cold air and history stands carved against the sky. At the summit, beneath a pale and waiting horizon, the great white Cross emerged from the mist, steady, unyielding, and, this year, more symbolic than ever.
High above the plains, where the first light of dawn cuts through the autumn mist, the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross once again stood as a solemn sentinel this ANZAC Day, renewed, resilient, and deeply symbolic.
Despite months of disruption, debate, and delayed restoration works, thousands gathered at the Cross Reserve at 6am on 25 April 2026 for one of Victoria’s largest and most significant dawn services. For many, the return to the site marked not just a continuation of tradition, but a quiet triumph of community determination.
The Mount Macedon War Memorial Cross, rising 21 metres above its 4.3-metre plinth, has long been one of the state’s most recognisable landmarks. Commissioned by local landowner William Cameron during the Great Depression, the monument was both an act of remembrance and an effort to create employment in a time of widespread hardship. Officially dedicated on 16 March 1935, by then Premier Stanley Argyle, the Cross quickly became a focal point for reflection and remembrance.
Over the decades, it has endured lightning strikes, bushfires, and the relentless wear of time. Following structural concerns, the original monument was replaced in 1995 with a visually identical replica, funded by the Grollo family and rededicated by RSL National President Bruce Ruxton.
Yet in recent months, the Cross Reserve has found itself at the centre of renewed attention and controversy.
As part of broader restoration and safety works at the summit, the removal of several trees around the reserve drew criticism from some community members and environmental advocates. Concerns ranged from the visual impact on the landscape to the loss of established vegetation in a historically significant setting.
However, Parks Victoria – the project organisers and the volunteer committee overseeing the ANZAC Day service maintained that the works were necessary to ensure public safety, improve access, and protect the long-term integrity of the site. With thousands attending the annual service, authorities pointed to the need for clearer sightlines, safer crowd movement, and bushfire risk mitigation.
While the debate has not fully subsided, the 2026 dawn service demonstrated a community willing to look beyond division, at least for a morning, in honour of those who served.
Behind the scenes, an enormous effort ensured the service could proceed at the Cross Reserve despite ongoing restoration delays.
Organised by a dedicated volunteer committee that has run the event since 2009, the service brought together an extensive network of support. Agencies including Victoria Police, Country Fire Authority, State Emergency Service, Ambulance Victoria, Fire Rescue Victoria, and the Australian Defence Force all played key roles in delivering a safe and dignified always. Local organisations and suppliers, from ALTUS traffic management to bus transport and Pro Electronics technical production, also contributed to the seamless operation.
“We made a promise to the community that the service would go ahead,” a committee spokesperson said. “Even if the setting looked a little different this year, the purpose remains unchanged, to honour those who served.”
That purpose was reflected in one of the service’s most distinctive elements: local high school students reading firsthand accounts from veterans. Their voices, carried across the mountain in the still morning air, offered a powerful reminder of the human stories behind the history.
Among the thousands in attendance were several notable figures, underscoring the service’s growing prominence.
For the second consecutive year, renowned Australian photographer Lord Murray Schoorman was present, taking up a front-row position to document the occasion. Known for his evocative portraiture and historical documentation, Schoorman’s attendance added a quiet gravitas to the proceedings.
Also in attendance was Detective Inspector Dave Dunstan of Victoria Police and Assistant Chief Fire Officer Ed Starinskas from Fire Rescue Victoria, reflecting the strong ties between the service and the state’s emergency services community.
Inscribed at its base are the words:
“To the glory of God and in memory of Australia’s sons, 1914–1918. Death cannot rob them of their glory nor time efface the memory of their gallant deeds.”
Few places embody that sentiment as powerfully as the Mount Macedon Cross. Visible from miles away, it has become more than a monument, it is a beacon of remembrance, resilience, and shared history.
In a year marked by physical change and public debate, the 2026 ANZAC Day dawn service reaffirmed the Cross’s enduring role in Victorian life. As the sun rose and the crowd fell silent, the message was clear: while landscapes may shift and challenges arise, the act of remembrance remains steadfast.
