"In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses row on row."
The poignant opening lines of Canadian medical officer Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae's poem, written in 1915 after burying a friend following one of the eviscerating World War One conflicts on Europe's Western Front, have been recreated with breathtaking beauty this week in Winton.
Spearheaded by Jodie Gadd through Winton's Neighbourhood Centre and making use of thousands of poppies, some of them crocheted by hand for the 2015 Anzac centenary, the western Queensland town's main street was turned into an eye-catching tribute in time for an Anzac Day commemoration that will go down in history for many reasons.
The global health emergency caused by the COVID-19 virus resulted in RSL Queensland deciding in mid-March to cancel official Anzac Day commemorations this year.
Since then, communities determined not to let one of Australia's most important days pass without proper recognition have been working hard to find ways to do so while observing social distancing requirements.
Thanks to social media, Ms Gadd discovered the 5000 Poppy Project, an international tribute of respect and remembrance to those who have served in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations, and was inspired to do the same thing for Winton.
Similar avenues brought her in contact with Brisbane woman Rachel Ezzy, one of the proponents of the 5000 Poppies project, and her 80-year-old father Duncan Ezzy.
Between them, a way was devised to attach green stems, many of them kebab sticks, to the woollen poppies for display, and ideas canvassed on how to push poppy stems into the hard ground at Winton's cemetery.
Read more: Anzac centenary poppy tribute
An invitation to Ms Ezzy by a Naval Association of Australia meeting to speak resulted in them learning about the Winton Poppy Project.
The members were so inspired that when they learnt how much it was going to cost to ship 1000 poppies on metal stems to Winton they offered to donate the $200 fee.
According to Tahnee Oakhill, Winton shire's youth, sport and recreation officer, who has been working on various Anzac Day activities, Ms Ezzy and her father had been hoping to drive up to Winton to help 'plant' the poppies and see the results of his labour of love in making all the stems but that hasn't been possible.
Thanks to technology, he and many others will be able to participate in a virtual dawn service created by Winton Shire Council staff for those observing the occasion at the end of their driveway on Saturday morning.
Broadcasting on tourism radio station FM88 and via livestream on the Winton Connect and Experience Winton Facebook pages, shire staff have prepared an order of service for people to use.
It incorporates piper Lachlan Strang and a recitation of the names of Winton's fallen.
The finely crafted offering filling the gap left by not being able to stage traditional Anzac Day services is due in part to Winton's reputation as having one of the highest per capita World War I enlistments in Australia.
It has been complemented this week by an Anzac Day poster competition promoted by the Winton newsagency, for children to share on their fences, and a lantern making project devised by Ms Oakhill.
"The more someone tells you something can't happen, the more you're determined to make it happen," she said. "It's all been really well received and I hope it helps people feel Anzac Day has been properly observed despite all the obstacles."