Vic students pay tribute to Anzacs

As thousands of school students gathered at Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance they were reminded that war memorials can appear weathered by the passing of years.

"Yet there is something that time cannot do," Ballarat High School student Laura Benney said in a speech before the Legacy Anzac Commemoration Ceremony for Students.

"And that is weaken their meaning ... for your tomorrow we gave our today."

About 6500 primary and secondary students from across the state attended, and representatives from each school laid a wreath at the shrine.

They watched a historical military aircraft fly-over, sang the national anthem and Waltzing Matilda, and were addressed by Victorian Governor Alex Chernov.

The landing of Anzac troops at Gallipoli a century ago "gave birth to our Anzac spirit, and began the realisation that Australia was a distinct nation in its own right", the governor said.

Cassandra Stamatescu, aged 15 from Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, said this message was still relevant to young people.

"We also have a bit of distance, as it didn't affect us, we weren't there and our immediate family wasn't involved in it," Ms Stamatescu told AAP.

"But I still think it is important to us today, to understand our country's history."

The students' ceremony, in its 84th year, is organised by Legacy with support from the National Servicemen's Association.

"We're not glorifying war. To me it's a celebration of our nation and what we are," Malcolm Fraser, 78, from the Box Hill NSA told AAP.

"I think it shows the kids that we are a bloody good country."