For Vietnam veteran Peter Liefman, seeing the crowd's smiling faces made leading Melbourne's Anzac Day march even more special.
The 74-year-old, who was a national serviceman in 1971, was chosen to lead Monday's march with fellow Vietnam veterans Gary Taylor and David Grierson along St Kilda Road through to the Shrine of Remembrance.
"I was a trooper, which is the lowest rank, and a national servicemen, not a professional soldier," Mr Liefman told AAP.
"So I was hardly a senior officer nor a hero, but I was still chosen to lead the march. So it's quite an honour really."
More than 10,000 attended the march according to the RSL, with crowds finally allowed back after two years of COVID-19 restrictions.
Mr Liefman said seeing young people line the streets gave him hope the Anzac legacy would live on.
"It's about lest we forget," he said. "If there are young people there, then there's a chance those who contributed won't be forgotten. For me, that's significant."
Geoff and Wendy Drayton were among those who lined St Kilda Road. It's an annual tradition for the couple, who want to honour those in their family who served.
"It's nice to get back to it this year and do it the traditional way rather than having to sit in the street with a little candle," Mrs Drayton said.
Kellie Giesen watched her army cadet children participate in Monday's march after attending a more subdued service last year.
"They're feeling very honoured to be part of it," she told AAP.
Earlier, crowds sat in chilly conditions at the Shrine of Remembrance for the traditional dawn service.
The Shrine estimates 50,000 people gathered for the Ode of Remembrance and Last Post.
"We cannot change the past," Victorian Governor Linda Dessau said.
"We cannot bring back those lost to the traumas of conflict.
"We can only support those who did return. We can only honour and remember those who did not."
Ms Dessau laid a wreath at the shrine's sanctuary, while Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Opposition Leader Matthew Guy were among dignitaries who laid poppies.
Megan Blair attended her first Melbourne dawn service on Monday, having previously commemorated Anzac Day in Canberra.
She told AAP she was paying respect to her grandmother and grandfather who both served in Papua New Guinea during World War II.
"If it wasn't for them meeting there, I wouldn't be here today," she said.
"They met in Papua New Guinea and then also travelled to India. They then flipped a coin to decide whether to go to South America, South Africa or Australia.
"They flipped a coin and came to Australia."
Ms Blair said she was proud to commemorate those who fought for the freedoms Australians have today.
One of those people was Tony Murphy, who served during the Vietnam War.
Mr Murphy usually attends the Sydney Anzac Day service, but came to Melbourne with his wife, son-in-law and grandchildren to watch his daughter sing at the dawn service.
"It's getting together with friends that you worked and served with for many years, and it's also to remember those that went before you," he told AAP.
Later, a deathly silence fell over the 80,000 strong crowd at the MCG as a minute's silence was held before the annual Anzac Day Collingwood and Essendon football match.
RSL Victoria President Dr Robert Webster led the pre-match ceremony that included the last post, New Zealand and Australian anthems.
Australian Associated Press
