There will be no Anzac marches in the Mountains this year because of COVID-19.
While there will be a limited march in the city, the Mountains sub-branches and service clubs felt that restrictions made it impossible to go on.
In a statement they said: "Whilst the NSW Government has approved the running of restricted Anzac Day services, the restrictions and the subsequent responsibilities placed on small sub-branch groups and other service clubs makes it difficult to provided guaranteed health safety to attendees.
"With the health interests of our veterans, serving ADF personnel and the community at the forefront, and with coronavirus restrictions on numbers attending, maintaining two square metre social distancing, and the requirement to record contact details on all attendees, all the Blue Mountains Service Clubs have regretfully decided to cancel Australia's Anzac Day services for 2021."
The dawn service at Wentworth Falls has also been cancelled, as has the sunset service at Woodford.
The decision was made after a meeting with the sub-branches, police, council, and SES and RFS whose volunteers would normally help monitor temporary road closures.
The group acted as one, fearing that if one march went ahead, residents from all over the Mountains would descend upon it, leaving organisers with a huge crowd to manage.
There were also concerns that most of the venues, such as cenotaphs or the Katoomba RSL club car park, had multiple entry points so it would be impossible to register contact details.
Mountains residents are instead encouraged to "Light up the Dawn" on the day, with a small service in driveways, at front gates, on verandas or in living rooms.
"Light up the Dawn" was held on Anzac Day last year and proved a great success.
There will be live streaming (and TV) of events in capital cities around Australia and some sub-branches may decide to live stream on their Facebook pages.
The mayor, Mark Greenhill, said: "The restrictions and the subsequent responsibilities placed on small sub-branch groups, and other service clubs, by the state government makes it very difficult.
"This is not the organisers' fault and I am sad that they were put in this position. I would like to see the marches go ahead and I know the clubs feel the same.
"Council understands this decision and encourages the community to 'light up the dawn'."
He said wreaths could be laid at any memorial at any time before or on Anzac Day.
Any service that is held will follow the same program: The Ode, followed by the Last Post, a minute's silence to to remember those killed and wounded in all conflicts and those still suffering today, Reveille then the national anthems of New Zealand and Australia.
The Ode (a section from a poem called "For the Fallen" by Laurence Binyon)
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
