The Order of Australia Association and Warrnambool RSL ran the service replicating the Shrine of Remembrance ceremony held on the same afternoon each Australia Day. The ceremony at 4pm was Victoria’s first flag-lowering service held outside of Melbourne and is expected to continue in Warrnambool as an Australia Day tradition.

More than 100 community guests attended, along with 8th/7th Battalion Reserves, secondary students, RSL members and the general public.

Warrnambool RSL president John Miles said the service went better than expected and would be back next year. “It’s the first time we’ve done it in regional Victoria and we’re very happy with the way it went,” Mr Miles said.

“It’s always been done in Melbourne, first at the barracks and now the Shrine (of Remembrance).

“We’re very proud to have been able to do it in Warrnambool and it adds a lot of meaning to the day.”

Order of Australia Association south-west Victoria group chairman Peter Habersberger said members were keen to organise similar events on days of importance.

“The flag was raised in Melbourne this morning and it’s important to have it lowered here,” Mr Habersberger said.

“It represents the end of the day and in olden times if they were fighting it was always called off at the end of the day.”