'Much to be grateful for': Canberra remembers the Anzacs

Steve Blacker, who serves in the Army Reserves, attended with his daughter Charlotte, age seven.

"We absolutely come to the Dawn Service every year, Charlie's been coming for the last four years," he said.

"I was really impressed with how she got out of bed this morning, she didn't even bat an eyelid."

It was still pitch black and freezing cold when crowds started to form in front of the war memorial.

By 5am, the lawn was filled with people, a sea of black puffer jackets and multi-coloured beanies standing in silence.

More than 32,000 people attended the service.

Among the crowds were Rebecca Piper and her daughter Daisy Piper-Schulstad, with sister-in-law Kylie Schulstad.

Daisy, age 10, said it was cold, but still worth it.

The early start was no challenge for her, according to her mum.

"She didn't do too badly, I woke her up and she put her eye mask back on and I said, no you've got to get up!" Ms Piper said.

"She was very excited about wearing her sparkly boots, that helped."

Both Ms Piper and Ms Schulstad currently serve in the armed forces.

As the service opened, the sounds of the didgeridoo echoed eerily across the hill, Mt Ainslie a dark shadow in the background.

Faint stars were still visible above the memorial as the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, David Johnston, gave the commemorative address.

He urged the crowd to reflect on those they'd lost, both in war and peacetime.

"How many of us are grieving today? The loss of a child, a spouse, a parent, a relative, a friend," he said.

"I ask you all to hold in your hearts those who mourn on Anzac Day.

"We have much to be grateful for, and much to live up to, as we walk into dawn's new light together."

As the governor-general and the High Commissioner of New Zealand laid wreaths, the sound of bagpipes rung out, played by Detective Inspector Stephen Ladd from the AFP.

This year marked his 20^th Dawn Service as the lone piper.

In the benediction, Chaplain Kerry Larwill praised the vision and values of the Anzacs.

READ MORE:

In a world that seems beset by threats - the war in Ukraine and Israel/Palestine, a changing climate, and economic instability - he called for faith in liberty and democracy.

"Freedom does not automatically perpetuate itself, but we have to work at it, nurture it, protect it and pray for it," he said.

"Freedom needs our attention and our cooperation."

The Anzac Day march begins outside the War Memorial at 9.30am.