How to Honour the Flag on ANZAC Day - Flag Protocoles

by Christopher O'Keeffe June 06, 2025

There is a reverence to ANZAC Day that cannot be feigned, a solemn dignity that descends upon Australia and New Zealand with the hush of dawn and the echo of the bugle. It is not simply a public holiday. It is, in many respects, a public meditation. One does not wake on the 25th of April thinking of barbecues or sales. One wakes thinking of sacrifice.

And within this reflective ritual, there is one gesture of particular significance: the raising, lowering, and positioning of the national flag. On ANZAC Day, the flag becomes more than a national symbol. It becomes an extension of memory, a canvas of collective mourning and pride.

This guide, is not for the inattentive. It is for those who understand that the way we treat our flags says something fundamental about who we are and what we value. ANZAC Day flag protocol is not simply a list of instructions. It is, in every sense, an act of respect.

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I. A Day Like No Other

The 25th of April is unlike any other day on the calendar. Its rituals are older than most living Australians. At its heart is the remembrance of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli in 1915—a campaign marred by tragedy, heroism, and the harsh awakening of two young nations. Yet over time, the day has come to represent all Australians and New Zealanders who have served and died in wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations.

There is no triumphalism. There are no parades of conquest. ANZAC Day is about service. Sacrifice. And silence.

And into that silence, we raise a flag.

II. The Role of the Flag

The Australian National Flag is not simply flown on ANZAC Day; it is choreographed. Every movement—from the initial hoist to its midday ascent—is deliberate. It is a language spoken in height and position.

The flag, in this context, does not shout. It bows.

It begins the day lowered, not out of defeat, but in mourning. It ends the day raised—not in celebration, but in acknowledgement.

The flag, in essence, traces the arc of the nation’s emotional journey.

III. Before the Dawn: Half-Mast and the Ritual of the Morning

Before the first bugle call, before the first candle is lit, the flag must be prepared.

If you are responsible for a flagpole—whether at a school, a community hall, a surf lifesaving club, or simply your own front garden—know this: the first raising of the flag on ANZAC Day is an act of mourning.

At dawn, the flag is raised briefly to the top of the mast and then ceremoniously lowered to half-mast. This is not optional. This is essential.

The brief full hoist is a sign of respect. It acknowledges that the lives being commemorated were full lives—cut short, yes, but not forgotten. The slow descent to half-mast is the moment of national mourning.

If the flag is already flying the night before—perhaps lit above a war memorial—it should be lowered entirely before sunrise and then re-raised in accordance with the dawn protocol.

IV. The Ceremonial Silence: During the Dawn Service

While the dawn service is underway, the flag remains at half-mast. It may seem a passive gesture, but it is in fact an active presence. It stands sentinel beside the wreaths, the flames, the names etched in stone.

In military tradition, half-mast signifies one thing only: mourning. There is no hierarchy of loss on ANZAC Day. The flag bows for all.

In locations with more than one flagpole, it is appropriate to also fly the Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag at half-mast, provided they are displayed with equal prominence and dignity.

Remember: if flags are flown side by side, they should be lowered together, raised together, and never flown in a way that implies inferiority.

V. Midday: The Resurrection of the Spirit

At exactly 12:00 noon, a quiet transformation occurs.

The flag is raised from half-mast to full-mast, where it remains for the rest of the day. This action represents a shift in tone—from mourning to commemoration, from sorrow to solemn pride. It is not the erasure of grief. It is the beginning of reflection.

Symbolically, the midday hoist signifies the enduring legacy of the ANZACs. It reminds us that though lives were lost, their memory lives on. The nation does not forget. It rises.

If you are participating in this protocol, take the time to make the action deliberate. Raise the flag briskly and with precision. Do not fumble or rush. You are enacting history.

VI. Private Citizens and Personal Participation

You do not need a government building to honour the flag. A front yard pole, a verandah bracket, a handheld flag at a dawn service—all of these are opportunities to participate.

If you have a flagpole:

• Raise it to full-mast at dawn, then lower to half-mast.

• At noon, raise it again to the top.

• At sunset, lower it entirely.

If you do not have a flagpole:

• Display the flag flat against a wall, with the canton (Union Jack) at the top left.

• Avoid draping over railings, tables, or chairs. This is not a picnic blanket.

• Indoors, place the flag on a wall of significance, perhaps behind a candle or wreath.

If the flag is to be flown at night, it must be properly illuminated. A flag in darkness is a forgotten gesture.

VII. Inclusion of Other Flags

Australia recognises three official flags of equal standing:

1. The Australian National Flag

2. The Aboriginal Flag

3. The Torres Strait Islander Flag

All three have a rightful place in ANZAC Day commemorations. The service of First Nations Australians is an essential part of the ANZAC legacy—one too long overlooked, but now respectfully acknowledged.

When displaying multiple flags:

• Each should be given equal prominence.

• No flag should appear subordinate to another.

• If using three poles, the Australian National Flag should be in the centre. If two, it should be on the observer’s left.

• All flags should follow the same half-mast and full-mast protocols.

To honour these flags is to honour the fullness of our shared history.

VIII. School Ceremonies and Community Events

ANZAC Day protocols are often learned young—at school assemblies where children stand, eyes skyward, watching the flag rise as the Last Post plays.

These ceremonies matter. They teach reverence. They teach continuity.

If you are organising a school or community event:

• Begin with the flag at half-mast.

• Consider including students of diverse heritage to raise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

• Time your midday hoist with the national guideline of 12:00 noon.

• Explain to students and attendees why the flag is lowered and raised.

We cannot assume people understand. We must, gently, show them.

IX. The Bugle and the Banner

There is no sound more haunting, more dignified, than the Last Post played beneath a lowered flag.

When paired, these two rituals—flag and bugle—achieve something no speech can. They express the inexpressible.

If your ceremony includes live music:

• Ensure the flag is already at half-mast when the Last Post is played.

• Observe a minute’s silence.

• The flag should not be raised during the silence or the Rouse unless this is part of a formal ceremonial sequence.

Let the music and the mast speak together.

X. When to Lower at Day's End

Once the day has drawn to a close, and the ceremonies have faded into memory, the flag is lowered entirely at sunset.

This act, often unnoticed, is one of finality. The day of remembrance is complete. The flag is given rest.

Lower it with care. Fold it respectfully. Store it in a dry, clean, protected space.

And remember: a flag flown with reverence is never just cloth. It is witness.

XI. Improper Displays: What Not to Do

Even on ANZAC Day, flags are occasionally seen:

• Draped across the bonnet of a ute

• Flying limp and tattered

• Left out in darkness, forgotten

Avoid these indignities. The flag deserves more than enthusiasm. It deserves understanding.

Do not wear it as clothing. Do not modify it. Do not add text. The flag is not an advertisement.

And above all, do not fly it at the wrong height or time. It is better not to fly the flag at all than to do so incorrectly on ANZAC Day.

XII. Beyond the Flag: The Deeper Meaning

In the end, ANZAC Day flag protocol is about more than height, timing, or direction.

It is about symbolism. About national memory. About respect so ingrained that it becomes ritual.

The flag’s journey on this day mirrors our own: bowed at dawn, lifted at noon, and laid to rest at dusk.

It is a choreography of grief and grace.

When you stand before the flag on ANZAC Day—whether in a crowd of hundreds or alone in your front yard—remember what it represents: not just the past, but the values we carry forward.

Courage. Mateship. Sacrifice.

Let the flag rise. And in doing so, let us rise to meet its meaning.

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