Prime Minister Scott Morrison has attended an Anzac Day dawn service in Townsville after the campaign for the federal election was suspended for the day.
As the sun rose over the Coral Sea, thousands of veterans, serving soldiers and airforce members and their families watched Scott Morrison lay a wreath in remembrance of those who went before them.
At the Townsville Anzac Day dawn service the prime minister focused on the Defence forces of today, saying that while the past few years have been about marking the centenary of the First World War, now thoughts turn to its aftermath.
"What is it like for those who have returned numbed by the carnage that cannot be unseen?" he said.
"What is it like for those whose war did not end with the declaration of peace?
"What is it like for the families whose loved ones now lay at rest on the other side of the world, how do they go on?"
Townsville is home to one of Australia's largest military bases - and sits in the nation's most marginal federal electorate, Herbert, held by Labor's Cathy O'Toole by 0.02 per cent.
Bill Shorten has honoured Australian military veterans in the Darwin dawn.
Mr Shorten started his morning in the Northern Territory, reflecting on Japanese bombs that brought war to Australia while watching the sun rise over Darwin Harbour.
Mr Shorten will later join more than 100,000 football fans in Melbourne for the annual Anzac Day clash.
Thousands of people gathered in the silent darkness before dawn.
As the sun broke over a cenotaph by the cliffs, Mr Shorten spoke of the devastating air raids 77 years ago which forever changed the city and country.
"Bare metres from here and in the waters behind us - and at Katherine, Broome, Wyndham, Derby - Japanese bombs brought war to Australia," he said.
"But in truth, one way or another, the shadow of war had already fallen upon every community in our nation."
The opposition leader praised all those to have fought and died, promising to do more for soldiers returning home from the Middle East.
