Fay Helwig’s gardens on the Granite Belt Farm, fronting the Servern River in Queensland, Australia are one of the regions most beautiful and astonishing sanctuaries. She also instigated the annual Red November Festival – a celebration of Red Poppies, Red Wine, Strawberries and Cherries.
Remembrance Field of Red Flanders Poppies
Owner of Das Helwig Haus B&B near Stanthorpe, Fay Helwig (nee Mulcahy) established the Remembrance Field of Red Flanders Poppies in 1996, dedicated to the more than one million Australians who defended their freedom. “More than one hundred thousand of these individuals never returned home from war, a fact she echoes, we must never forget,” she says.
Das Helwig Haus B&B, Glen Aplin
After settling in Queensland’s Granite Belt in the Glen Aplin region, in 1992, Fay and her German-born husband Eberhard established Das Helwig Haus B&B and Fay started planning her garden. This area has a temperate climate with cool weather throughout the year, influenced by Stanthorpe being located 1,015 meters above sea level.
Red Flanders Poppies to Bloom on Remembrance Day
In 1993 Fay asked Eberhard to plough the field in front of their house to allow her to establish a wildflower meadow. “I realized that in the cool mountain climate of the Granite Belt I would be able to grow the red poppies, blue cornflowers and the other European flowers which had given me so much pleasure during our travels.”
In 1996, she proposed that a memorial drive be established to link the World War 1 returned soldier settlements of Amiens, Messines, Bapaume, Passchendaele, Bullecourt, Pozieres and Fleurbaix. These villages are named after World War 1 battlefields and Fay proposed that people along the roads linking these districts should grow the Flanders poppies to bloom for Remembrance Day on 11th November, when the fallen from the First World War are remembered (armistice was called at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month)
Their remarkable home garden and the Remembrance Field of Red Flanders Poppies at Das Helwig Haus B&B, is open for public viewing during October and November every year.
Red November is Launched in Glen Aplin
Fay encouraged tourist operators within Glen Aplin to promote four red products – cherries, strawberries, wines and her red Flanders poppies. “I sought the support of these other tourism businesses and launched the Red November promotion, which brings numerous coach tours to these Granite Belt attractions throughout October and November.”
Red November – Celebration of Red Wine, Cherries and Strawberries and Poppies
Red November is a month-long celebration of the important fruits of the Glen Aplin region - ripe red cherries, red strawberries and, of course, the red wine for which the Granite Belt is famous. The Red November promotion attracts many visitors, especially clubs for their end of year outing.
Book Launch
In 2009 Fay Helwig will have a book published, titled Wildflowers, Wilderness and Wine that tells the whole story about the establishment of the Remembrance Field and the Red Flanders Poppies at her home in the Granite Belt.
Karen Lotter - Karen Lotter is a journalist and writer based in Durban, South Africa. She has written profiles, features, advertising copy, ...
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