David and Desley Moss, of South Kolan, a small rural centre about 30km inland from Bundaberg, live near the final resting place of the SS Maheno, the former New Zealand Naval Forces World War 1 hospital ship that once brought casualties out of Gallipoli.
Yesterday, Mr Moss spoke to a crowd of about 120 at the Maheno war memorial about the similarities of Anzac commemorations in Australia and New Zealand.
This year's Maheno Anzac service master of ceremonies Colin Ewing had travelled to see the wreck of the Maheno on Fraser Island at last year's Anzac Day and Mr Moss said this year it was his turn to cross the Ditch to attend an Anzac service.
The day took on a different meaning in rural areas - small towns cared more, he said.
‘‘Be proud of the turnout you put on in these little country towns of yours,'' he said.
‘‘We're proud of ours.''
Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher was not at the Maheno service, but he echoed the sentiment.
He attended six services around the district, speaking at four.
And this year, sound systems were introduced at a couple of the country services where crowd sizes had swelled, particularly with children, over the past several years.
Some of those attending events across the district would remember it as their first Anzac Day commemoration, he said.
While crowds did not know the Australian national anthem as well as the New Zealand anthem, the singing of both was an important inclusion in Anzac services as a reminder ‘‘who our friends really are''.
In this historic year Mr Kircher spoke about the beginnings of the day in his addresses at Waitaki services. He noted the importance of the communal, shared experiences at memorials.
‘‘Here we are, a century later, 100 Anzac Days.''
