Anzac Day

Anzac day dawned cool and wet.  I had been planning to go to the Dawn Service in Altona but on studying the maps and closed roads I would have a longish walk (as well as the March) and my broken toe is limiting my exploits.(not walking, just wearing shoes!)
So I decided to go in to Federation Square to see the carpet of poppies.
And what a sight.

Several carpets of flowers had been moved to the March Route to the shrine and were just about to be collected and moved back.

 There was still a pipe band going by as I arrived and the road still closed with barriers. Managed to cross to the Square after a short wait.
A chance meeting with Chris (a nursing friend from years ago) in Fed square so had a chat in the light drizzle. Then we had a live feed from Gallipoli Dawn Service and lots of people stopping to hear the  messages.

The rain is ours! But they must have a had a cold wait.

There were poppies everywhere. 50,000 or more??
The Poppies project was started as a plan by Melbourne based fibre artist Lynn Berry and Margaret Knight to put 120 poppies at the 14/32 Battalion tree in Centenary Avenue at the Melbourne War Memorial  for their father in 2013. 
They had a goal of 5000 in 2014, and this sparked  huge response and with a plan to place 50,000 poppies in 2015 the Centenary year. Communities all over Australia and overseas contributed with in excess of 250,000 received.
The sight was amazing! 

After a coffee I went to see Follow the Flag exhibition Australian Artists at War 1912-1945, through the work of some of Australians well known artiest Arthur Streeton, Russele Drysdale, Albert Tucker, Joy Hester, Frank Hurley and Max Dupain, as well as works of Damien Parer.

A section The Persuasion of War Posters, was illuminating on the mood of the time.

As well a great section of artistic things created by the soldiers, often as they had endless periods of boring waiting. Or some from the prison Camps. An amazing embroidered tablecloth of a plan of the camp,down by one women in one camp. Also some art and photos of the Internment camps- the Dunera Boys.

The NGV book club is doing a talk on The Narrow Road to The Deep North by Richard Flanagan 

The sign is amid rubbish bins, Hence the crop!!

This famous photo was on the wall as backdrop to other photos 

 "Highlights from the exhibition include Kristin Headlam's Soldier boy 2002, depicting the cherub-faced Alec "The Kid" Campbell, one the many youths on the battlefields; George Lambert's A sergeant of the Light Horse 1920, which was recognised as an image that captured the spirit and character of the Australian soldier; Grace Cossington Smith's 1915 painting, The sock knitter, which has come to symbolise Australian women's contribution to the war effort, which included knitting more than 1.3 million pairs of socks; and priceless 'trench art' displays, including jewellery and brooches fashioned on the front from shrapnel and plane debris."