More than a third of Victoria’s indigenous enlistments came from the region, yet their efforts were largely overlooked in subsequent years.

“It’s long overdue in honouring our Aboriginal service personnel,” Warrnambool RSL centenary committee leader Michael Bellamy said.

The tribute page in the centenary booklet says many Australians are learning for the first time of efforts by the Aboriginal community in Australian military forces.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have served Australia in all major conflicts from the Boer War to the present; sadly the contributions of Aboriginal service men and women has not always been well recognised,” the booklet says.

“They also paid the same high price in the casualty rates as their fellow white Australians.”

Warrnambool Aboriginal elder Rob Lowe senior welcomed the booklet recognition.

He will be at Saturday’s dawn and mid-morning ceremonies standing at the Aboriginal war memorial stone adjacent to the main cenotaph.

Mr Lowe gave credit to historian Peter Bakker, whose research identified dozens of indigenous soldiers who had served in various wars but were virtually unknown.

“Hopefully within the next decade we’ll be able to get permission for a memorial listing the names of all south-west indigenous people who went to war for their country, but didn’t come home,” Mr Lowe said.

“There would be close to 80 names.

“I think a central location like Warrnambool would be appropriate — they all fought for the same cause.

“For this Saturday I would encourage family representatives of former service veterans to come along to the Anzac Day ceremonies.”