Traditions continue through Hawkesbury Ag students at ANZAC Day services

The college has a long and proud history that the students carry on each year commemorating and honouring all that has come before them.

Residents are the main attendees of the dawn service that is held outside the Memorial Hall.

The boys then walk to Richmond for breakfast before returning to the top of College Drive with the other students, guests and dignitaries for the traditional march to the morning service.

This year the march was a bit different as there was no horse drawn carriage, but still led by bagpipes, servicemen and women, university dignitaries, representatives from across the Hawkesbury, previous and current college students, and guests silently made their way down College Drive to the memorial.

Third years of the college, Toran Reed and Erin Lowry, led the morning service, with other students reading In Flanders Field, The Ode, laying wreaths and raising the flag.

There was a reflection and speech from current serviceman Corporal Sean Marshall, along with attendance from past students and faculty, including ex-Principal of the College Dr Graham Swain, who some of the students had the opportunity to meet and talk to.

Many parts of the Hawkesbury and HAC community were represented at the morning service and laid wreaths, including;

Ending the service was the annual planting of the Lone Pine by Mr Darren Greentree.

The service attendees and students round out the day by heading over to the Universities cafe to play a game of Two-Up, again run by the students themselves.

Erin Lowry said that she felt privileged to be speaking on behalf of so many people "that we can't thank more".

"It feels really nice to be a part of a community, where we are all here for a bigger cause and we know that will continue into the future," she said.

"The history of HAC really means a lot to me and to see the older generation and the old boys come back just really reminds us why we are here.

"That we are not that different from each other, we are all here for the same reason and we all have the same morals."

Toran Reed said that the experience was amazing as he had the opportunity to honor the College's history.

"It just feels that you are being apart of something so much bigger than yourself," he said. "You are being a part of literal history. You can see it unfolding in front of you here and to be apart of this is quite humbling.

"It was amazing to meet and see past students and staff. It was like getting a glimpse into the history and past of this place.

"I could meet people and here the stories of times I never got to see myself."