- 62,000 knitted poppies to be planted in Kings Park to commemorate 100th anniversary of Armistice Day
- Each poppy represents a member of the Australian armed forces who died during World War One
- Premier Mark McGowan and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia join RSLWA representatives to plant first poppies
Premier Mark McGowan and Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia joined representatives from the Returned and Services League of WA (RSLWA) to plant the first knitted poppies to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Armistice Day.
The ‘Poppy Project’ will see 62,000 poppies planted at Kings Park to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Armistice Day.
Each poppy represents a fallen member of the Australian armed forces who died during World War One.
The 62,000 poppies have been handmade by volunteers, known as ‘Poppy Ladies’, who have been working on this project for over a year.
The poppies will be installed in Kings Park at the Flame of Remembrance and the State War Memorial.
Senior Australian Defence Force officers, school students and businesses will all take part in planting the knitted poppies.
As part of a wider program of events to commemorate the Centenary of Anzac, the Premier interviewed veterans, school students and community members throughout the year as an opportunity to hear firsthand from representatives in the community about why the anniversary is so important and personal to them.
These have been transformed into a web series which can be viewed at
As noted by Premier Mark McGowan:
“Taking part in the planting of 62,000 knitted poppies is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity – I was honoured to be involved in this unique event.
“It is important to remember the sacrifices made by our Australian soldiers in World War One and all other conflicts, wars and peace operations.
“My Government is committed to marking this important anniversary by honouring those that served, as well as engaging and educating the wider community through a program of events that have been held across the State to commemorate the Centenary of Anzac.
“Congratulations to the RSLWA and all the volunteers for creating this special tribute to our Anzacs.”
As noted by Veterans Issues Minister Peter Tinley:
“This poppy project is a poignant expression of our shared heritage and provides us all with a symbolic reminder of those who lost their lives during World War One in order to protect our freedoms and the way of life that we enjoy today.
“I encourage everyone to observe one minute’s silence on November 11 and reflect on the courage and resilience of our forebears.”
As noted by Defence Issues Minister Paul Papalia:
“Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers from the ‘Poppy Project’ who have made this touching tribute to the fallen Australians, who died during World War One, possible.
“In the lead-up to the centenary of Armistice Day, it is also an important time to acknowledge those Australian men and women who have served our nation in other wars and conflicts.
“In Western Australia there are around 30,000 veterans, and supporting them and their families is a part of the McGowan Government’s newly launched Defence and Defence Industries Strategic Plan.”
