The universally recognised red poppy symbol has been appearing on a growing number of Cockburn street signs in the past year, and now you can find out why.
Three interpretive panels telling some of the stories of local service in the First and Second World Wars will soon be installed at Memorial Hall in Hamilton Hill, outside Cockburn ARC in Success and at Botany Reserve in Hammond Park.
More panels will be added in the next year at other Cockburn locations, including Coogee and Bibra Lake.
You can read copies of the interpretive signage at Cockburn’s three libraries, in Spearwood, Success and Coolbellup, until the end of April, to coincide with Anzac Day.
They explain how Memorial Hall came to be built in 1925, how Cockburn prepared for invasion during WWII, including the Australian Women’s Army Service based at Bibra Lake, and how local market gardens and butchers contributed locally grown foodstuffs to the war effort.
The universally recognised red poppy symbol now adorns more than 100 selected signs in Cockburn where streets have been named in honour of individuals and families involved in war or peace-keeping efforts.
Suburbs where streets have received the special stickers are Atwell, Beeliar, Bibra Lake, Cockburn Central, Coogee, Coolbellup, Hamilton Hill, Hammond Park, Henderson, Jandakot, Munster, North Coogee, South Lake, Spearwood, Success, Wattleup and Yangebup.
Cockburn Mayor Logan Howlett, who successfully introduced the initiative to council for consideration in October 2016, said he got the ball rolling after an approach from local veteran Kevin Bovill.
“I was pleased to see the unanimous support of Council for this initiative within Cockburn,” Mayor Howlett said.
He said the system had been successfully adopted in parts of New Zealand.
“Photographs of New Zealand signs provided by Mr Bovill really paint a poignant picture of how they can capture the imagination of the community and inform who has served their country in war or peace keeping activities,” Mayor Howlett said.
“It would be amazing to see the poppies displayed on road signs across the State, across the Nation.”
The City has referred to a comprehensive list, informed by Landgate street naming conventions, to identify local roads named in recognition of global conflicts involving Australia, with the highest priority given to specific families honoured for their efforts.
Find out more
here.