Cronulla dawn service draws 2000 inside Monro Park - and others outside

Many people who did not appear to have tickets turned up anyway to remember and show respect, gathering around the perimeter of the park and swelling the ticketed crowd of 2000.

The COVID-19 registration requirement resulted in long queues at the entrances to the park, with the service starting before many could enter.

At 5.40am, 10 minutes after the start, a queue stretched for about 100 metres along the Cronulla Street footpath into the shopping centre.

The state government required volunteers to check the QR code ticket of every person entering the park.

Cronulla RSL sub-Branch president Cory Rinaldi said during the week the limit of 2000 resulted from the NSW Health restriction of one person to every two square metres.

"We don't make the rules, but we have to follow them," he said.

"The restrictions come from NSW Health, which passes them down to the council and police, who pass them down to us," he said.

The crowd inside Monro Park included Keith Charleton, whose great grandfather served at Gallipoli.

His daughter Leigh and grandson Ben, 8, wore the soldier's medals.

Several school groups were present to lay floral tributes at the war memorial.

Jane Shepherd, the principal of Lilli Pilli Primary School, said they normally attended the Caringbah dawn service, but it was not held this year.

"It's a tradition we have always maintained, and its the highlight of the year for the leaders," she said.