Eldorado residents turned out in strong numbers this morning at Gunhouse Park for the 15th annual ANZAC Day dawn service, continuing a tradition that organisers say has become a cornerstone of the town’s calendar.

About 100 people gathered in the cold autumn conditions for the service, out the front of the McEvoy Tavern at 5.30am before a march, lead by Hamish Buchan on the bag pipes, and formal ceremony from 6am.

Hundreds more gathered at the Wangaratta cenotaph for the rural city dawn service, which will be followed by the main service at 11am.

MC Doug Oldmeadow, a Royal Australian Air Force veteran, said the turnout was a powerful reflection of the town’s respect for service and sacrifice.

“You always wonder whether people are going to make the effort to drag themselves out of bed on a cold autumn morning, but when they do and they turn up in the sort of numbers we see, it’s heartwarming and makes it all worthwhile,” he said.

Mr Oldmeadow served for 14 years in the Air Force and was deployed on peacekeeping duties in the Sinai.

He said Eldorado’s ANZAC service was built on strong community involvement and a willingness to give back.

“It’s a wonderful community,” he said.

"They always step up and it’s a pleasure to be able to give something back."

Members of Eldorado CFA and other local brigades showed their support.

Captain Brian Bowman, who was part of the initial organisation committee 15 years ago, said Eldorado CFA had around 20 members turn up to show their support.

"It's important for us as emergency services to show our support on ANZAC Day," he said.

Mr Bowman, who has been a member of the CFA for more than four decades, said remembrance was vital for future generations.

“We’ve got to keep this going for the little ones," he said.

"My granddaughter is here, she was asking about the medals last night."

The younger generation was also heavily represented with Carraragarmungee Primary School students singing 'Thank You to the Soldiers', as well as both the New Zealand and Australian National Anthems and laying wreaths.

Local veteran David Byles, who recited the Ode of Remembrance, served 26 years in the Air Force with deployments to the Middle East and Malaysia, now an Eldorado resident, he said small community services carried particular meaning.

“Just remember people that have given up everything,” he said.

“You only have to look at the memorial wall, the names on it, those people deserve to be honoured.”

The service also included readings, Alan Baker recited the poem 'In Flanders Fields', reading of the Roll Call by John Carey, speech from guest speaker Corporal William Klein, the playing of the Last Post, two minutes’ silence and the national anthems of New Zealand and Australia, followed by wreath laying.

Many community members placed weathers at the cenotaph in remembrance, including young Stanley Kimber in memory of his great grandfather Stanley William Newton a gunner in WWII and a POW for three years.

Vietnam veteran David Ellis, who was involved in starting the service 15 years ago alongside Peter Cardwell, Geoff Perry and Christine Hanley in 2011, was in attendance.

Craig Iskov, son of local Kokoda veteran Bob Iskov, spoke of work to preserve the stories behind the names, including restoring photographs of local men killed or missing during the world wars, one in particular that had been missing which was now on display in the Eldorado Memorial Hall.

“This particular fellow was the son of the Eldorado school teacher who was a pilot and his bomber disappeared in the desert over Libya,” he said.

Following the service, attendees were invited to a gunfire breakfast, continuing a tradition that has helped cement the dawn service as a defining moment of remembrance for the Eldorado community.