A street in Shepparton's Grammar Park Estate was lit up by lanterns on the eve of Anzac Day.
The moving tribute was organised by local First North Shepparton Scouts group member Billy Collins, 11, and his mother Ange as a way to recognise the day and acknowledge the brave men and women who fought for our country.
Each year the Shepparton Scouts group have a sleepover at their club hall in Welsford St before getting up to go to the dawn service at the Shepparton Cenotaph - an event which Mrs Collins said was a favourite on their club calendar.
However due to the COVID-19 restrictions the group were unable to host their usual Anzac Day commemorations, with their Scout leader instead challenging them to come up with a unique way to acknowledge the day.
Billy and his mother decided to make lanterns for every house in their street, hand-painting them and delivering them to their neighbours with a letter and instructions.
“We invited the families in the street to put the lanterns on their mailboxes on Anzac (Day) eve, we asked them to light the candles at 7 pm and we invited the families to take a walk down our street to acknowledge and recognise the service men and woman,” she said.
“When we went outside at 7 pm there was about 30 or 40 people walking up and down the street and having a look at all the lanterns . . . it was just so amazing, the lights were just flickering away and it was way better than we could have imagined it."
With her dad being a Vietnam veteran, Mrs Collins said Anzac Day at their house always involved a large family gathering and celebration.
While this year may have been different, she agreed it was amazing to see all of the neighbours outside paying their respects with a handful also getting up the following morning for the dawn service.
“I didn’t except it to turn out so well, it was fantastic - it promoted discussion and the kids were interested,” she said.
“It was a nice chance for the street to do something for Anzac Day when people might not have done anything.”