About Poppy Places

"In this country in a dreamed-of future, men will remember names of desert places that have been dignified by fighting, battle honours of a small country, of that New Zealand of the past, and they will share these things as part of a history that will be dear to them."

“Report on Experience: The Memoir of the Allies War" by John Mulgan, OUP 1947

They went off to war and many died, the nation mourned and slowly commemorated them in various ways. All over New Zealand, we have remembered them through the naming of streets and buildings, by the planting of trees, and through erecting individual monuments.

The Poppy is the most powerful and easily recognised symbol of both courage and sacrifice that we have as New Zealanders.

Poppy Places is about ensuring we never forget. It is about a place where our heroes' contributions and their stories are linked to the physical via the simple placement of a poppy. The genesis of the project is in knowing that many of our street names and places are directly related to people and events from overseas military history. And that this is often known to only a small and shrinking number of citizens.  

By using the Poppy (an internationally known symbol) to mark these places, those who pass by will see the Poppy and be reminded every time of ANZAC.

The Poppy Places of New Zealand

Throughout New Zealand, there are many places named after ordinary New Zealanders who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Places such as Nigel, Te Whiti, Frickleton, Selwyn, and many more.

Poppy Places believes that these many hundreds of such places which, if left to history, may disappear from our collective consciousness. Our aim is to provide a "place" where these stories can be captured and forever stored. Each approved place will be marked with the placement of the official poppy flower of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Serviceman’s Association (RNZRSA).

The Poppy may also be placed on such places as buildings, memorials and plaques to denote a place’s significance.

All of the stories are retained and can be accessed from our website.