Greeks in Dandenong marked OXI Day despite rain, holding the annual event organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Dandenong and Surrounding Areas. Bad weather moved the wreath-laying ceremony inside the Church of Saint Panteleimon, but the emotional tone remained strong as people honoured those who resisted fascism. Students from the community's Greek School took part, with poems and traditional dances. Community president Stefanos Karamoschos and school principal Niki Farfara Paschou spoke about freedom, dignity and the value of preserving the Greek language.
A Remembrance Day service will be held at the Anzac Jawan Cenotaph in Cherrybrook, Sydney, on Sunday 15 November, from 4 pm to 5 pm. The Australia India Cenotaph Committee is organising the ceremony, which will honour those who lost their lives in military service. Veterans and participating groups are asked to gather from 3.45 pm. Community representatives may lay wreaths if they send names and titles beforehand. The event is supported by several local and community bodies, and the public is welcome to attend.
Australia's Ambassador to Greece, Alison Duncan, has visited the Greek Presidential Guard in Athens ahead of its trip to Australia. The Evzones will take part in Ohi Day commemorations from 22 to 29 October in Sydney and Canberra. Duncan was briefed on the Guard's history and toured the workshops where its traditional uniforms are made. The program includes public ceremonies, a centenary event for the Hellenic Club of Sydney and wreath-laying at the Australian War Memorial.
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Melbourne's Greek community marked the anniversary of Ohi Day at the Holy Monastery of Axion Esti on Sunday, 18 October 2026. The Panhellenic Association of Retired Reservists in Australia held the ceremony, which included a memorial service, wreath-laying and a luncheon. Greek officials and parliamentarians attended, along with students and community members. Christina Karvela received an honorary plaque for years of voluntary service, and the late Konstantinos Kolokythas was also honoured. The event stressed passing history and traditions to younger generations.
Mourners gathered at the SIEV X Memorial in Canberra to mark 25 years since the sinking of the SIEV X, Australia's deadliest asylum seeker boat disaster. On October 19, 2001, 353 people died when the fishing boat sank off Java while heading to Christmas Island. Of the dead, 146 were children. The memorial, at Weston Park beside Lake Burley Griffin, has a wooden pole for each victim. Organisers say more than 100 victims' names have not been made public. Memorial co-founder Steve Biddulph said the memorial sends a message that ordinary Australians are not terrified of refugees.
Caroline Springs RSL will hold a Remembrance Day service at the Caroline Springs War Memorial at Lake Caroline on Wednesday 11 November, beginning at 10.30am. Local students and scouts will again take part, raising flags to half-mast on the day. Former RSL president Andrew Marshall said the day is important for recognising Australian history and those who served. The RSL will also sell commemorative poppies and badges at Watergardens, Burnside, Caroline Springs and Taylors Hill shopping centres, supporting current and former Australian Defence Force members and their dependants. A minute's silence at 11am will conclude the ceremony.
Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union Victoria State Secretary Tony Mavromatis has paid tribute to the 35 workers killed in the West Gate Bridge collapse on 15 October 1970. He said the tragedy must keep guiding workplace safety. Among the dead was 32-year-old Greek migrant boilermaker George Tsihilidis. Mavromatis said 222 workers died at Australian workplaces in 2025, a 13-year high, and called this unacceptable. Each year, unions and families gather at the West Gate Bridge Memorial Park in Spotswood to remember the victims.
Moonee Valley City Council, with Essendon RSL Sub-branch, will hold a Remembrance Day commemoration ceremony at the Cenotaph in Queens Park, Moonee Ponds. The ceremony is set for Wednesday 11 November at 10.30am.
Thousands of people who served in Afghanistan were honoured at a 25th anniversary service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and former prime ministers attended. Veteran Ben Roberts-Smith, who faces five counts of war crime murder that he has rejected, was granted court permission to attend. Forty-seven Australian Defence Force personnel died and 263 were wounded during the deployment. Private Robert Poate's mother, Janny Poate, spoke of the families left with empty places at home.
Commentators have long treated the Malcolm Fraser government as an unexciting gap between Labor administrations. A new collection of essays in the Australian Journal of Politics and History challenges that view. Contributors examine economic upheaval, Cold War diplomacy, security concerns, immigration, environmental policy and women's policy during the period. The authors argue that Fraser's government was more significant than its reputation suggests. Political parties have also used the era to shape their own accounts of modern Australia.
Swedish-born Erik Blomqvist, who enlisted as Eric Bloom, served as a private with the 2nd Australian Infantry Battalion. After training in Egypt, his unit sailed to Lemnos before landing at Gallipoli. He was wounded during fighting at Lone Pine in August 1915 and died the following day at a hospital on Lemnos, aged 28. He was buried in the Old Square Tower Cemetery, later moved to Portianos. His sister received his belongings, and his grave was recently visited by descendant Richard Blomqvist, who was welcomed by Lemnos's Deputy Mayor.
Peter Norman Day will be commemorated on October 9, 2026. Dr. Joseph Toscano, convenor of the Peter Norman Commemoration Committee, shared the story of Australian sprinter Peter Norman, who stood in solidarity with Tommie Smith and John Carlos during the 1968 Olympics. Norman's 200m silver medal time remained an Australian record for 56 years. His actions symbolised courage and the struggle for human rights, with statues honouring him in the US and Australia.
Veterans of Australia’s Middle East deployments are invited to a three-day gathering in Bellingen to mark 25 years since the start of the Afghanistan commitment. The Bellinger River RSL Sub-Branch is hosting the event, which includes camping, shared meals, and a dawn service. The weekend is open to all veterans and their families who served in Afghanistan or Iraq, regardless of RSL membership. The event aims to provide a relaxed, informal setting for veterans to connect and commemorate their service.
Melbourne's Jewish community marked the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with attendees describing the pain as hard to describe. At a commemoration service in Caulfield, speakers highlighted the profound impact of the event and the rise in antisemitism. Meanwhile, a small group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered in Melbourne to call for a ceasefire and highlight the suffering in Gaza.
A Jewish leader has condemned pro-Palestinian vigils planned in Sydney, Wollongong, and Melbourne on the third anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, calling them 'despicable'. The events, promoted under the slogan 'don’t let Israel steal the date', have drawn widespread criticism from politicians and Jewish groups. NSW Premier Chris Minns described the Sydney vigil as 'heartless', while Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called it 'sickening and reprehensible'. The Jewish community is focusing on commemorating the anniversary, marking it as a day of profound trauma. Safety concerns have led to some event locations being kept private.
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Sydney's Jewish community held commemorations for the victims of the 2023 Hamas attack in Israel, marking the first such events since the Bondi Beach terror attack. The service at a venue in Sydney's east featured high-profile attendees, candle lighting, and prayers. Participants also honoured the 15 people killed in the Bondi shooting during a Hanukkah celebration. The event included musical performances and speeches addressing antisemitism and its impact on Jewish communities worldwide.
