More than one thousand paper poppies, handcrafted by local school children, were planted at the newly designated Anzac Gardens in the City of Gosnells as part of the Anzac Day commemorations.
Community collaboration honours Anzac legacy
Mayor Terresa Lynes joined Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Burt MHR Matt Keogh at Southern Grove Primary School, where students were busy creating some of the poppies. The poppies were produced by students from Southern Grove, Ashburton Drive, Beckenham, Caladenia, East Kenwick, Sacred Heart, and Wirrabirra primary schools, as well as Rehoboth Christian College.
“Creating and planting poppies has been a special way for local school children to connect with the Anzac spirit,” Ms Lynes said. “Everyone who attended the annual Anzac Day commemorations would have seen the bright red poppies scattered across the lawn, helping to ensure these traditions remain significant across generations.”
Students engage with history through art
The paper flowers were planted in Anzac Gardens by City of Gosnells councillor and ex-servicewoman Kylie Dalton, alongside students from Wirrabirra Education Support Centre. “This is a great way to share the importance of the Anzac tradition with the next generation,” Cr Dalton said.
Wirrabirra Education Support Centre teacher Darran Wilson explained that students had been learning about the significance of Anzac Day and exploring Anzac Gardens. “We talked about the Anzac tradition in terms of emotion and about war being a sad event,” Mr Wilson said. He noted that visiting Anzac Gardens by bus and planting paper poppies was an important part of the school’s community access program.
“The students enjoy making things in art and craft, so we incorporated the poppy-making into the lessons,” he added. Wirrabirra student Bibi shared that she and her classmates had been creating paper poppies each day leading up to Anzac Day. “We’ve been talking about soldiers marching and eating Anzac biscuits on Anzac Day,” Bibi said.
Anzac Gardens: A lasting tribute
Anzac Gardens is part of the City of Gosnells Civic Centre Gardens surrounding the Gosnells War Memorial. “This new name is a small but significant and lasting change that will strengthen recognition and honour the legacy of the Anzacs,” Ms Lynes said. “The Anzac spirit reflects values we continue to uphold today – mateship, service, hard work and an underlying sense of humour. At the City of Gosnells, we are committed to ensuring the sacrifice and service of the Anzacs are remembered for generations to come.”
