Ninety one-year-old Ray Werren sat at Newcastle's Civic Park fountain and reflected on the first Anzac Service he attended as an 18-year-old.
"I was serving an apprenticeship in Sydney. I went to the main service at Martin Place and there were hundreds of thousands there. I'll never forget it," Mr Werren, a National Service conscript at the Williamtown RAAF base during the Korean War said.
"But this is still a good roll-up. I am really enjoying it."
The numbers may be smaller these days but the spirit still shines bright.
This year's morning service was a sea of young and old faces. Many of those too young to have experienced the tragedy of war wore their relatives medals as a mark of respect.
Mr Werren, from Charlestown, said he planned to get to a few more services before he's done.
"The last service I went to was in 2018, which was the commemoration of the end of the Great War," he said.
"I told my wife I'm going to do another Anzac march and plan to do a couple more too."
From Nobbys, to Maitland and Swansea, Hutner Anzac dawn services again attracted strong crowds.
Newcastle local Sam Arber has marched for the last 26 years in honour of his great grandfather, Arthur Quick who fought in World War II.
He was joined by his mother, Sharon Mason, and his grandmother, Helen Mason at the Civic Park service.
"I was nine when he passed away, and we would always go to the [Anzac Day] services with him, he was my best friend," Mr Arber said.
Marching on Anzac day reminds Mr Arber of his great granddad as well as all that have served and will serve.
"For me it's a day of reflection and acknowledgement of those who fought for us, personally and on a national level," he said.
"We acknowledge on a national level and international level the sacrifices that were made to fight for our freedom."
Sharon Mason said her grandfather was from a long line of farmers who went to war.
"It's a day to say thank you for the past and those that fought for us, and also thank and acknowledge the new ones," she said.
"We are all very respectful of Anzac day, we have been raised to be and to value it."
Helen Mason said Anzac day could be an emotional day for many people.
"I get teary sometimes on Anzac day when I see them walking down, it's a very special day for us," she said.
Newcastle Vice President and Wellbeing Officer of the Newcastle Veterans Association, Allan Crumpton, said he was delighted with the number of young people attending local services.
"I was at the Wallsend dawn service and I would say there were well over 2000 people there," he said.
"This morning's march was also choc-a-bloc. It is terrific to see."
For Mr Crumpton, family participation is the key to keeping Anzac Day services strong.
"That's why we have changed our name (from Vietnam Veterans) to the Hunter Veterans and Family Support Centre so we can get families involved. Also, a lot of younger people from Timor and Afghanistan didn't feel part of the Vietnam group so we changed our name to try and include them."
Ian Lovegreen (OAM), a National Service veteran, agreed younger generations were equally engaged in the Anzac spirit as their forebears.
"I don't thing people necessarily come to Anzac Day out of a sense of duty but more from a sense of let's go out and support the people who have and are serving the country," he said.
"I hope Anzac Day continues in the way it always has."
