Maitland RSL sub-branch president Eric Bell also advised that the traditional breakfast and lunch for officials and guests at Maitland Park Bowling Club had been cancelled.

The storm has caused damage to the venue and cannot host the meals. 

The main Anzac Day march from the city to Maitland Park scheduled to take place on Saturday has been cancelled because of weather conditions and demands made on the police during this week’s super storm.

This will be the second successive year that the historic march from the city to the cenotaph on Anzac Day has not taken place because of weather – last year a savage electrical storm interfered with proceedings.

Maitland RSL sub-branch president Eric Bell told the Mercury of the cancellation late on Thursday.

The Dawn Service from 5.30am at Maitland Park will go ahead as planned.

A breakfast at Maitland Park Bowling Club for RSL officials and guests might also be postponed because the roof of the club fell with all the rain, Maitland RSL sub-branch vice-president Fred Goode said.

“The cancellation of the main march is very sad considering all the planning that has been done and the fact that this is the commemoration of 100 years of Anzac,” he said.

“But we also gave consideration to the flooded condition of the road between Maitland Station roundabout and the Trzecinski Bridge, which has led to such large traffic build-ups during the rains.

“Though the main march has been cancelled, the Anzac Day service at 11am will still take place in Maitland Park. Although if weather conditions worsen, this could be take place in Maitland Town Hall.”

“In calling off the main march, we gave consideration to the safety of the public in the present weather conditions as well as appreciating the demands made on police during the rain storms,” Mr Bell added.

Dawn service will start at 5.40am at Beresfield War Memorial, the corner of Allandale and Anderson Drive, followed by breakfast at Beresfield Bowling Club. If raining, the service will be held in Beresfield Bowling Club.

Dawn service will begin at 5.30am, with a march from the RSL car park to the war graves at Dungog cemetery, then over to Stroud cenotaph for the service. Breakfast will be available at 6am at the RSL club. The main service will start at 10.30am with a march from Dowling Street to the cenotaph on the corner of Brown and Lord streets, then back to the RSL club gates for a small service at 11.30am. Lunch will be available at noon. Diggers with medals can eat free of charge. A gold coin donation is essential for all other attendants. Donations will be given to Legacy.

A dawn service at the war memorial at the corner of William Street and New England Highway will start at 5.30am. A march from the RSL hall led by the Maitland Pipes and Drums will  precede the service at 5.20am. An 11.30am service will be held at the war memorial and a march, led by the Maitland Brass Band, will precede the service. Guest speaker will be Colonel Craig Lauder. Representatives from the Rural Fire Service, Maitland police and school captains from local primary schools will be in attendance.

Service to be held at the Weston cenotaph at 9am, followed by the RSL members’ and associates’ march around the block. Food and refreshments will be available at the RSL hall beside the park. A special gift will be given to all children who attend the march.

The dawn service will start at 5am at Kurri cenotaph in Lang Street across from the Kurri Workers Club. A service will also be held at 10am, with a march leaving at 9.45am from Mitre 10 to the cenotaph. The service will be held at the Kurri Kurri Workers Club if it is raining.

Hunter Region soldiers feature in the Faces of Anzacs memorial wall, which is live across almost 200 Fairfax websites throughout Australia and New Zealand.

The site bears the names, suburbs and ages of Anzacs. Their stories, and memories, have been submitted by readers of our digital network.

The wall is searchable by name and location, has social media sharing, and can be viewed on mobile.