If you haven’t had the chance to visit the poppy installation at Naracoorte Town Square, you’re truly missing a stunning display of craftsmanship.

This powerful tribute, featuring around 1,500 hand-knitted poppies arranged on a five-by-five-metre net, was created by Naracoorte’s heartfelt group known as the “Poppy Girls” in honour of the courageous ANZAC soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom.

Though their name might sound whimsical, the “Poppy Girls”—a close-knit group of anonymous friends—have poured genuine emotion and respect into this meaningful project.

Sharing the story behind the project, the group’s Lesley Cook told this publication that the installation was a tribute to all the brave ANZACs who paid the ultimate price for our freedom, to those who returned with injuries, both visible and invisible, and to the amazing animals who served alongside them.

Ms Cook said the inspiration behind the Naracoorte ANZAC poppy installation came from the 5000 Poppies Project set up by a group of ladies from Victoria in 2013.

“Having travelled to various places in South Australia and Victoria around ANZAC Day and seeing their poppy tributes, I thought it would be good to do something similar for Naracoorte (albeit on a much smaller scale) to honour those who have served,” Ms Cook said.

She said there was a core group of “Poppy Girls”.

“We are a group of friends who love to knit and crochet but also wish to remain anonymous, as this installation is not about us,” she said.

“It took the core group of “Poppy Girls” about three and a half days to sew the poppies onto a five-by-five-metre net, and four of us about three hours to install it.

“I do not know exactly how many crafters from the community made poppies or how much yarn/material was used. Almost all of it was donated from the stash of yarn that almost everyone who knits or crochets has.

“I can tell you the installation is heavy.”

Ms Cook said the group started making poppies earlier this year.

“…through the help of Naracoorte Lucindale Council, in particular the teams from the library and Visitor Information Centre, who acted as poppy drop-off points and gave out free patterns, and it quickly became a community project,” Ms Cook said.

“We have received poppies from as far away as Kadina, fellow knitters and crocheters from Apsley. The Naracoorte Girl Guides gained their sewing badges by creating material poppies for the installation. We are still receiving them and, so far, have received approximately 1500.

“We have used three different colour poppies, the meanings of which were taken from the SA Army Museum website.

“Red—for remembrance. During the First World War, red poppies were among the first flowers to spring up on the battlefields of France and Belgium.

“White—this is the international symbol of remembrance for all the casualties of war—civilians and armed forces personnel—for those who have returned with injuries and of peace.

“And purple is for the animals and birds who also served.”

Ms Cook thanked everyone who participated.

“Working on this project has been an amazing experience, both humbling, and we all learned so much. We are very lucky to live in this wonderful community,” she said.

“Lest We Forget.”

This article appeared in The Naracoorte News, 23 April 2025.