Tauranga will host one combined Anzac Day civic service this year, with Mount Maunganui not having its own for the first time.

There will be several dawn parades around the city on April 25, but Tauranga RSAs will move to Memorial Park after it sold its Cameron Rd premises.

The city’s civic service will also be held at Memorial Park, starting from 9.30am after the 6am dawn service.

Mount Maunganui’s dawn service will stay at its usual location – the Mount Maunganui Cenotaph on Marine Parade opposite Hopukiore (Mt Drury).

Tauranga RSA president Morton Anderson said the Cameron Rd premises were sold in February 2024 and the RSA vacated in February this year.

It currently had no site for services to be held.

“If we have a new site for Tauranga RSA by next year’s Anzac Day, the services will move to it – but if we don’t, it will carry on at Memorial Park.”

Anderson said holding a combined civic service reduced costs to both RSAs and the council.

“It also means only one set of planning needed to be done, so it frees up a lot of people’s time.”

Anderson said dawn services were paid for by the host RSA, and the council contributed event support. Civic services were paid for by the council and run by the RSAs involved, he said.

This year’s civic service would run for about 45 minutes with a bigger parade of veterans, serving defence personnel and participating community groups.

“There are also more guest speakers and more ceremony involved, so it takes a bit longer.”

Tauranga RSA president Morton Anderson and Mount Maunganui RSA vice president Judy Hallinan welcome everyone to the city’s one civic service on Anzac Day at Memorial Park. Photo / Kelly Ohara

Anderson said he was unsure of how big the turnout would be at the combined civic service at Memorial Park, being the first time the Mount had not held its own.

“We’re not sure if people will come over the bridge to the civic service in the city; we’re just going to see how it goes.”

Mount Maunganui RSA president David Corin said the reason for the combined service was “to try and streamline things”.

“There’s a lot of work and funding that goes into these events, and with rising fuel costs at the moment, we want to have the planes up there flying in respect but we’ve got to watch the dollars we’re able to spend.”

Corin said he wanted Mount residents to know that they would be welcome at the combined civic service at Memorial Park.

The 9.30am start time - 30 minutes later than usual - would allow time for people to get there.

Free park-and-ride services will operate for the Mount Maunganui dawn service and for both Memorial Park services, according to the council.

A council statement said its work with the RSAs on the events reflected ”a shared commitment to honouring those who served and bringing the community together”.

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said Anzac Day was a time for communities to come together and reflect on the sacrifices of those who served to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.

“It’s always incredibly moving to see current service personnel, veterans and their families standing alongside the wider community in remembrance.”

Drysdale said this year’s civic service would be particularly special, “providing a meaningful opportunity for our local veteran community to come together at one city event”.

He encouraged the community to attend this or one of the many other Anzac Day services taking place across the city.

Tauranga will host one combined Anzac Day civic service this year at Memorial Park. Photo / File

Pāpāmoa’s Memorial dawn service would go ahead as usual at 6am at the Pāpāmoa Memorial in Stella Place beach carpark on Pāpāmoa Beach Rd.

The Pyes Pā Remembrance Service will be held 11am at Pyes Pā Cemetery.

The Tauranga Moana Tumatauenga Anzac Commemorations begin 5.45am on Anzac Day at Ōpōpoti (Maungatapu) Marae, 25 Wikitoria St.

In the Western Bay of Plenty district, Anzac Day services would take place at seven locations.

Dawn services will begin at 6am at Waihī Beach RSA, Tuapiro Marae at 24 Hikurangi Rd, the Katikati War Memorial Hall and Ōmokoroa’s Rememberance Cairn in Gerald Crapp Historic Reserve.

Ōropi will host a service at 10.30am at Ōropi Memorial Hall and Community Centre.

Te Puke will host a civic parade at 9.50am and a 10am service at Te Puke War Memorial Hall.

At Waitangi, the dawn service will take place in front of the war memorial gates at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Matai at 6am, followed by breakfast at Moko Marae from 7am.

For more information on Western BOP’s Anzac Day services, visit: www.westernbay.govt.nz/council/news-and-updates

For more details on Tauranga City’s Anzac Day services, visit: www.tauranga.govt.nz/news-and-events/events/anzac-day/service-information