ANZAC DAY 2024: One Equal Temper of Heroic Hearts

“Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and  

    tho’  

We are not now that strength which in  

    old days  

Moved earth and heaven; that which we  

    are, we are;  

One equal temper of heroic hearts,  

Made weak by time and fate, but strong  

    in will  

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to  

    yield.” 

Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ulysses 

This ANZAC Day we pause to commemorate the landing at Gallipoli, Türkiye, of Australian and New Zealand troops in 1914. Through dawn services, memorial services and marches across our communities, we remember the fallen; those who lost their lives in service to our country and the sacrifices of all the servicemen and women, VAD nurses and peacekeepers, both past and present.  

As Tennyson’s poem says, ‘though much is taken, much abides’ and the marks of deep grief and loss, of immense sacrifice, give way to stories of great courage, of perseverance and above all, hope, security and freedom—the legacy we live in today.

At Fresh Hope Communities we recognise that many of our residents and their families have deeply personal connections to this day and can recall stories born from the experiences of living through years of war and its effects. So this day can be one of weighty memories, full of heartbreak and at times trauma, but also a celebration of sheer courage and determination to carry on—whether in the trenches or for those at home shouldering the burden of caring for families, industry and communities. 

Heroic hearts indeed. 

So today, we pause to remember them—with humility and thoughtful reflection, and honour their legacy with the diligence and fortitude to do our utmost to create places of belonging and communities that allow all to flourish. 

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. 

Lest we forget.