"Resting Poppy" Print Page

The sculpture is a Centenary of Armistice Project to commemorate those from Bacchus Marsh and District who served in World War One.  The sculpture of the poppy will also include 464 name plaques of servicemen and women the Avenue of Honour remembers. 

A committment to honour the fallen in a new way at the Bacchus Marsh Avenue of Honour is hoped to bridge the gap between past and contemporary art.

“Resting Poppy” which will be created by Moorabool designers Mark Gilliland and Meghan McBain, international public art consultant Mark Norton of Artica International and will be sculptured by Australian Dean Bowen.

The plan for “Resting Poppy” will be for a world class public art installation set alongside the Avenue of Honour. It will be a multi-part bronze sculpture which will also include 464 name plaques of the servicemen and women The Avenue of Honour remembers.

The idea came after the discovery of an apple crate filled with nameplates which originated from the Avenue of Honour elms.

In response, the Centenary of Armistice Memorial Project was established by Cherrison Lawton, president of the Bacchus Marsh RSL and the sub-committee a grant for Stage 1 was funded by the Commonwealth Government Centenary of Armistice Grant 2018 and a design competition started on Remembrance Day last year.

Moorabool Shire Mayor Paul Tatchell said the sculpture would add to Bacchus Marsh’s already world-renown memorial. “The significance of the World War I commemorative sculpture cannot be over-stated; the Bacchus Marsh RSL has worked tirelessly to bring this project to life and should be commended,” Cr Tatchell said.

For sculptor Dean Bowen, getting a chance to create the project had a very personal meaning, with a tree already in the avenue honouring his great grandfather. “This project is a deeply personal one for me and my family,” he said. “Recently while standing in front of tree N79 in the Avenue of Honour, Bacchus Marsh I felt extremely moved and honoured knowing that this tree was planted in 1918 to honour my great grandfather Archie Davis, a farmer from the Bacchus Marsh area who served as a private with the Australian Army’s 7th Battalion in France and the UK during the First World War. The tree was planted by my grandfather Archie Davis (Junior) who I knew when I was a young child. The sculpture will convey the theme of remembrance and enhance and compliment the trees in the Avenue of Honour.”
The Courier (Vic), 25 April 2019.

Note: As of July 2023 on Google Maps the sculpture has not been erected. The site is at the begining of the Avenue of Honour in the grassed area  in close proximity to 638 Bacchus Marsh Road.

Location

Address:	Bacchus Marsh Road, Avenue of Honour, Bacchus Marsh, 3340
State:	VIC
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -37.687556 Long: 144.476643 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Sculpture
Monument Theme:	Conflict
Sub-Theme:	WW1
Actual Event Start Date:	04-August-1914
Actual Event End Date:	28-June-1919
Designer:	Mark Gilliland ,Meghan McBain, Kirsty Reid (Wide Open Co), Mark Norton (consultant)
Artist:	Dean Bowen (sculptor)

Source: MA, DVA