Remembering Bob Hawke: Flowers for His State Memorial at the Sydney Opera House

Remembering a valued client, and the privilege of creating flowers for his State Memorial Service at the Sydney Opera House.

Some of the work we do carries a significance that stays with us long after the flowers have left the studio.

Bob Hawke was one of our valued clients. When we were asked to create flowers for his memorial at the Sydney Opera House, the occasion held a very personal meaning for us alongside its place in Australia’s public life.

His State Memorial Service took place on 14 June 2019. For the many people gathered to remember him, it was a farewell to a former Prime Minister. For those who knew him personally, it was also the loss of someone who had been part of their lives.

A Personal Connection

Working with clients over time gives floristry a particular intimacy. Flowers enter homes, mark celebrations and, sometimes, become part of a final farewell.

Being entrusted with this work for Bob Hawke was an honour. Our responsibility was to bring care and attention to our part of the memorial, with the focus remaining on the person being remembered.

These photographs are from our own record of the work. They show the flowers in the Opera House setting, including the arrangement beside the flags and closer views of its colour and texture.

Warm Colour and a Generous Floral Form

The arrangement brought orange roses together with yellow sprays, white blooms, deeper red accents and substantial foliage.

The warmth of the roses gave the composition a clear centre. Around them, smaller flowers introduced texture, while the broader leaves and extended stems carried its outline outwards.

It was a generous composition, with enough scale to hold its place against the timber of the Opera House interior. Viewed as a whole, the flowers formed a strong, balanced presence; closer up, individual blooms and changes in texture became more apparent.

Flowers Within a Larger Occasion

A memorial of this scale is made up of many contributions. Our role was the flowers, and the photographs record that part of the preparation.

Positioned alongside the flags, the floral work became part of the setting for remembrance. Its colour brought a living element into the formal surroundings, while the foliage gave the arrangement a broad, natural shape.

For us, this kind of work calls for both practical concentration and sensitivity. The arrangement needs to be resolved in its proportions and presentation, but the reason for creating it must remain at the heart of the work.

Remembering Bob Hawke

There is a difference between looking back at a floral installation and remembering why it mattered.

We are proud of the work our team created, but what remains most important is the trust placed in us. Bob Hawke had been a valued client, and being asked to contribute flowers to his memorial was a privilege we remember with gratitude.

For a wider account of the day, ABC News’s coverage of the State Memorial Service includes photographs and reporting from the service itself.

In memory of Bob Hawke, 1929–2019.

If you would like to speak with our studio about flowers for a funeral or memorial, we are here to help.

Photography: Charles McKean for Susan Avery.