Attending an Anzac Day dawn service and paying respect to service men and women is a yearly pilgrimage of immense importance to many, but its popularity is carrying an increasing cost.
Lake Macquarie City Council's Anzac Day event expenses have increased by 63.4 per cent, or by $24,152, in one year.
This escalating cost has been driven by increased traffic management and safety requirements for events, such as hostile vehicle mitigation.
These issues have coincided with a growing demand for Anzac commemorative events throughout Lake Macquarie.
The growing cost of Anzac Day events will be debated by Lake Macquarie councillors at Monday night's council meeting at the Hunter Sports Centre.
Over a decade ago there were nine to 12 services across the local government area.
In 2023 there were 13 services, and in 2025 that increased to 20, attracting about 27,500 people.
This year 27,500 people turned out for 19 events held at Cardiff, Speers Point, Dudley, Pelican, Wangi Wangi (two), Toronto (two), Catherine Hill Bay, Swansea (two), Dora Creek (two), Teralba, West Wallsend, Belmont, Valentine, Redhead and Rathmines.
The events cost the council $62,252, up from $38,100 the year prior.
The council held a workshop in May with existing Anzac Day organising committees, which included RSL sub-branches, Lions clubs, community event organisers.
Nine of those Anzac Day events received a share of the council's events and festivals funding of $9,000, which has decreased from $11,000 in 2024.
City presentation ($13,751) and council administration support ($5,300) costs had small increases of 12.7 per cent and 15 per cent over the past year, and the cost of the event team coordination grew by $1,000 to $3,500.
However, there were steep increases to fleet costs.
Last year the 20 Anzac events required 23 council-owned trucks and drivers at a cost of $7,500.
In April this year for 19 Anzac Day events, 31 trucks and drivers were required at a cost of $24,596 to meet heavy vehicle mitigation regulations from NSW Police.
Due to a lack of suitable council-owned vehicles, eight additional trucks were sourced externally.
Heavy vehicle mitigation, which includes the installation of bollards or sandstone blocks to prevent cars or trucks entering busy pedestrian areas, has been a pressing issue across Lake Macquarie's public spaces.
Last October NSW Police threatened to shut down the Morisset Show due to a lack of bollards, and the council installed sandstone blocks on the Warners Bay and Toronto foreshores last year to make the areas compliant.
"We've spent about $100,000 on hostile vehicle mitigation measures over the past financial year in line with NSW Police safety guidelines for major events," a council spokesperson said.
"Our program of works is continuing in the 2026-2027 financial year, including at Goffet Park in Toronto.
"Works across various sites include the installation of bollards and gates and/or sandstone blocks where appropriate."
The spokesperson said the $100,000 in mitigation measures would not result in a decrease in truck hire costs for the 2027 Anzac Day services.
"The requirement for trucks and drivers is to support road closure safety as well as road parades, which will continue to be required, separate to the permanent hostile vehicle mitigation measures such as bollards and sandstone blocks, installed at our parks and reserves," they said.
