Anzac commemorations in Wellington

Wellington's CBD was a hive of activity this afternoon after thousands of people lined its streets for today's Anzac parade.

The sun was shining as thousands lined the streets of central Wellington today for the start of Anzac commemorations.

Roads were shut through the CBD as a procession of vintage vehicles, bands and men in uniform made their way from Parliament to the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park.

Some of the parade's prime attractions were 16 trucks from Sir Peter Jackson's collection.

Then, as the parade ended at Pukeahu, three World War 1 planes flew over.

The pilot of one those aircraft and man in charge of all the vehicles from Vintage Aviator Ltd, Gene DeMarco, said it was a rare treat to see them all out and operating.

"I can't recall ever having this many of them going all at once. It was a monumental feat. the crew that got them going this morning, they started at 430 getting some of the vehicles going, getting them moved here, getting them warmed up," he said.

"We had a few that were a bit cantankerous. We always refer to the equipment temperament when it comes to operating these old vehicles and airplanes because sometimes they just won't start."

But luckily for those that turned out they did. One did break down briefly, but was able to be restarted.

The Wellington Mayor, Celia Wade-Brown, was on board one of the vintage buses remodeled for use in the war.

There are people from all around the country and in fact many from overseas from the French Frigate, from asian armed forces, All here to join with us in an amazing but respectful commemoration of what happened a century ago.

For Wellingtonian Penina Fitisemanu the parade was a somber reminder of what the commemoration is about.

"I thought it was amazing. It was actually quite emotional, just seeing some of the old people coming past, and just seeing the young soldiers and thinking that could potentially have been my father, my brothers, my sons."

Dawn services are being held in New Zealand, Australia and around the world tomorrow.