Not far outside Pyramid Hill, the likenesses of 10 soldiers stand watch in the lead-up to Anzac Day.
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The soldiers, crafted from hay bales, represent the 10 men from the small community of Mologa who were killed in service during World War I.
The art installation also stands as a tribute to the late Allan Leed.
Last year, Allan and his wife Denise crafted art from hay bales to celebrate and commemorate a variety of occasions, starting with Australia Day and followed by Easter, Anzac Day and the Queen's birthday.
Denise first came up with the idea to mark Australia's national holiday last January.
She said that while her husband was initially reluctant to take part - his assistance was needed to move the hay bales into position - he soon became an enthusiastic participant.
It was Allan's idea to create 10 soldiers for Anzac Day this year, as 2020 marks 100 years since the Mologa War Memorial was unveiled.
But tragically, Allan never got to see the concept take shape - he was killed in an accident on the couple's property last July.
Denise said her neighbours and son rallied around to help her bring Allan's idea to life.
"My neighbours have all been fantastic," she said.
While coronavirus restrictions made things challenging - there could be no working bees or the like - the project was completed in about two weeks.
"The community just could not do enough to get this project going," Denise said.
Each bale art soldier is individual and bears the name of one of the fallen men.
The artworks also reflect details specific to each man, such as eye colour and the medals they were awarded, as they are recorded in a book collated by the local Landcare group.
Denise and Allan had family connections to World War I and developed a keen interest in that history, visiting France on two occasions, including the centenary of the Battle of Fromelles.
Two of Allan's great-uncles, Will Paynter and Ray Leed, were killed in World War I
Ray Leed was one of the 10 Mologa men - of the 28 who left to serve - who never returned home.
In recent years, the community has begun holding services at the Mologa memorial, which is maintained by residents in the area and the local Landcare group.
The community's war memorial was unveiled in March 1920, by a Sarah Marlow, who lost three of her five sons in the war.
"[The war] had a significant impact on this community, and the way farming's developed, I suppose," Denise said.
"Families had to change what they planned, because family members were away fighting the war, and some didn't come back."
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Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs. Previously of the Bendigo Advertiser, Northern Daily Leader and Quirindi Advocate. Our Watch award winner.
