Thousands at dawn service in Brisbane

Thousands have gathered in Anzac Square in Brisbane for the dawn service.

Lights throughout the heritage-listed park were turned off and in blackness the crowd prayed for peace.

Only the lights shining bright on the Shrine of Remembrance lit the inner city park.

Governor Penelope Wensley addressed the crowd to recount past wars and the 400 soldiers still in Afghanistan helping with the country's rehabilitation.

"As we gathering this pre-dawn dark we recount Gallipoli and the countless other battles where soldiers stood in the dark," she said.

"As they sought to quell and fight their fears, so too do we come together.

"In these rituals we expose the soul of our nation.

"It is a singular expression of shared beliefs, where we commemorate the sacrifice and courage of thousands."