Christmas Creek features in a moving tribute to the many thousands of Australian horses that were left behind overseas when the First World War ended.
The commemorative music video was filmed across three days earlier this year with the Australian Light Horse Association on a Christmas Creek property in the shadow of Lamington National Park.
It accompanies locally produced Anzac song The Horses Stay Behind (One Last Ride).
It was written by Tamborine Mountain woman Kerrie Gambley, great-granddaughter of a Light Horse trooper and Gallipoli veteran and performed by her family band the Haystack Mountain Hermits.
The clip, a collaboration between the Haystack Mountain Hermits and Tamborine Mountain filmmaker Elijah Cavanagh, had its national launch on 12 April, ahead of Anzac Day, with expectations it will be part of ceremonial remembrance Australia-wide.
The community project was shortlisted in the Australian Folk Music Awards and the song was awarded Exceptional Merit in the Australian Songwriters Association Awards.
The music video explores the relationship between servicemen and women and their beloved war animal companions. It follows the Light Horse Troop as they journey up a hilly track at Christmas Creek to gather around a stage and watch the band perform the song.
More than 2500 handmade purple poppies, representing the horses, were collected from individuals around Australia to feature in the video.
When the production of the song was first announced, Mrs Gambley said the story carried relevance for her family and for all of Australia.
“It’s a family story, but it’s a national story as well – the story of Australia’s young men who enlisted to serve their country with their beloved horses, who were never to return to Australia. It’s a tale of heroes and horses,” she said.
“The story begins with their Great-grandfather Tom, a 16-year-old who enlisted in 1914, was assigned to the 5th Light Horse Brigade and fought at Gallipoli.”
Mr Cavanagh said the clip delved deeply into the relationship between soldiers and their horses.
“When this project came my way, I knew we needed those that live and breathe this soldier/horse relationship to come on board, together we could achieve the vast scale and depth of story that this project is calling for,” he said.
