What started as four friends on a beach commemorating Anzac Day 2022, has grown into a truly beautiful and moving community event.
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For the third year, Surf Beach resident Dawn Simpson, and her helpers, will gather on Wimbie Beach and place jars with lit candles along the sand representing souls lost to war.
Dawn Simpson is visibly moved when she is asked about her motivations for starting this tradition, and about her own connections to the great war.
Her grandfather served in Belgium and France, as a forward scout, for which he received the military medal. She remembers him with great love.
When in 2021 she visited Gallipoli, Dawn says she was struck by the similarity between Anzac Cove to "our little cove" referring to Wimbie Beach.
"I always thought Anzac Cove was a great big beach that stretched for miles, but it doesn't," she said.
"When I got home, I thought, 'I am going to do something here' and it started off just reminding people about Gallipoli and the Anzacs...but I want to honour any servicemen and servicewomen that have fought in any conflict."
So in 2022, the four friends collected over 300 hundred jars and placed them with candles on the beach.
The next year had grown to a gathering of a few hundred people. They put out over 700 jars with candles.
This year, Dawn has collected over a thousand jars and candles. She has individually labelled 550 jars with the names of the men and women that left the Eurobodalla shire to go to the Great War.
"That took some doing," she said.
Local Jamie Wright, will play a rendition of Flowers in the Forest on bagpipes. Three kayaks will paddle out with candles, in what she hopes will become a part of the ceremony in future years.
Dawn works tirelessly, and over 6 months begins preparations for the next Anzac day. She is donated jars, and begins the finicky and messy job of removing labels.
The shed in her yard is full to the brim. Dawn buys the tea light candles herself.
Woolworths Batemans Bay donated a $50 voucher to Dawn which she has spent on Anzac biscuits for visitors on the day.
Dawn already has a succession plan for when she is no longer able to organise the event. She has approached a good friend to carry the tradition forward.
"When I am up there in heaven looking down on Anzac Day, I want to see this beach alight with candles," Dawn said.
This year's Wimbie Beach dawn service will be held at 6am, Thursday, April 25.
