Residents asked to pay respects with driveway dawn services after Karratha RSL unable to run dawn service

Karratha locals are being asked to take part in driveway dawn services this year after the local RSL made the tough decision to not hold its annual service. The Karratha and Districts RSL Sub Branch holds the annual dawn service each year and is calling on locals to watch the national dawn service at home, and stand in their driveway for the one-minute of silence to remember those who paid the ultimate price. Karratha and Districts RSL Sub Branch president Darren Dymock took to Facebook to explain the decision. Mr Dymock said at the time the decision was made to cancel the morning service, there was a capacity limit of 500 and the club could not provide adequate security to stop more than 500 turning up. “Our club cannot afford getting fined by breaching those rules,” he said. “Now the limits have changed I do not have enough time to organise dawn service, this service takes normally two to three months of planning and organising prior to the event. It is a lot more complicated than people think, and we are all volunteers and we all have full time jobs elsewhere.” Mr Dymock continued his post saying the club would be holding afternoon activities. “To organise the afternoon activities is a fairly simpler event to set up, I have been able to set this up a lot quicker,” he said. “The club has secure gates all around and I can organise two security guards to check vaccination certificates and check numbers of people as they come through the gate, which makes our life a lot easier. “I hope this makes sense, and trust me we did not want to cancel the morning at all it is one of the most important dates on our calendar.” A service will be held in Roebourne, with a march commencing from Padbury Street at 5.30am before the service begins at 6am at Roe Street.