public art

The iconic bush surrounds of Lake Daylesford are now home to a new permanent artwork titled Cottage, by artist Jason Waterhouse. The artwork has been months in the making, thousands of S-shaped pieces have been hand crafted from three kilometres of wrought iron, then joined together to form a scaled-down miners cottage. ‘Cottage’ is a highly decorative wrought iron sculpture inspired by the gates at the Convent in Daylesford, “ said Waterhouse. “This work references the rich opulence of the Victorian gold rush and pre-war spa resort era in its patterning. In its form ‘cottage’ pays homage to the miners, workers and farmers on whose backs the riches of Daylesford were built.”

Cottage is the first in a series of significant public artworks to be commissioned by Hepburn Shire Council. Cottage will enhance one of Victoria’s premier tourist destinations, Lake Daylesford.

Large scale wrought iron public sculpture referencing the worker's cottage of the Goldrush period in Daylesford. 203cm (height) x 382cm (width) x 353cm (depth) verandah 159.5cm (height) wrought iron 32mm x 2.5mm

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Boy with a Thorn Though the classical bronze that the figure was modeled has become known as Lo Spinario, both Stuart Rattle and Kevin O’Neill referred to it as The Boy with a Thorn. Information from the late Stuart Rattle and John Graham, the late Kevin O’Neill’s partner. The statue was bought by Kevin O’Neill from a South Yarra antique dealer in the 1980s. She had bought it in Europe. Stuart believed that it was cast in Berlin by Moritz Geiss who had pioneered the popular process of zinc casting of classical statues. Schinkel, the architect of early 19th Century Prussian public buildings used the process extensively. I assume that the decorations that can be seen in Berlin currently are copies of those copies, given the comprehensive destruction of the city in 1945. Unless there is a date stamped on the statue, and there might well be, there is no firm indication of its age, although Stuart and Kevin believed it was “turn of the century”. It was given to Stuart by John Graham after the death of Kevin O’Neill. Prior to its installation at Musk Farm, it was “by the dam” at Marnarnie, O’Neill’s property at Mt Macedon. It became a much photographed focal point in the sunken garden at Musk Farm. The statue is a gift from the Rattle family to The Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens who intend to give it, in turn, to Hepburn Shire to be placed in the Botanic Gardens. Both the family and the Friends see it as a memorial to Stuart’s tireless work to raise funds for the Gardens and to raise the profile of the Gardens so that their considerable significance could be more broadly acknowledged. The CMP notes that statuary has been a feature of most botanic gardens (and a notable feature of the Ballarat Botanical Gardens) and James Lowe, the head of Parks for the Shire has also commented that it is an area that could well be developed in the Gardens. This comes from his attendance at meetings of the BGANZ, the “peak professional body” for the development and maintenance of registered botanic gardens in Aus and NZ. Given the lack of funds that the Shire has been able to allocate to the Gardens, a donation of this calibre is a welcome addition to the cultural asset that the Gardens represent. A very large number of residents of the Shire are members of the Friends, have visited Musk Farm and are appreciative of the Gardens. There is a current feeling that the Gardens are undergoing a dynamic revival as a result of the success of the Café and also because of the extraordinary improvement and enhancement of the amenity that has been undertaken over the past two years by the Friends. The installation of the Boy with the Thorn is another move forward for the Gardens. The statue is cast zinc. It is sometimes referred to a white bronze. As can be seen in the photographs, it is in very good condition with no damage or apparent degeneration of the metal. The Smithsonian Institution has a lengthy document relating to the deterioration and repair of similar casts in the US where urban pollution has taken its toll but for the most part it deals with inappropriate repair rather than maintenance protocols. One of the properties of zinc that is appreciated in Australia is its ability to withstand the elements and given that the artwork has been either on Mt Macedon or at Musk for the last 30 years or more, its relocation to Wombat Hill seems to be an appropriate one. The Friends are prepared to organise and pay for the relocation of the statue. The issue of security from the point of view of theft, malicious damage and environmental impact will need to be addressed. The Ballarat Botanical Gardens have recently reinstalled statuary which has been damaged and which had been removed from the Gardens on account of this. They have used Rockworks Ballarat and Wilson’s Memorials to make plinths, secure artworks with steel pins and to provide especially robust fixings to ensure the safety of the various sculptures. The CMP (2007) makes a number of recommendations regarding security in the Gardens ranging from the installation of lighting to the locking of the gates overnight and the repair/reinstatement of appropriate fencing – not done as yet to my knowledge. Paul Bangay has also agreed to act as a consultant in the process of installing the Boy. John Graham estimates its value at $20,000 The preferred location for the work would be at the entrance to the Fernery from the lawn. The paths form an intersection at that point that could be modified to fit the statue. But this is currently a suggested location only.

The statue is a gift from the Rattle family to The Friends of Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens who have gifted it to the Hepburn Shire to be placed in the Botanic Gardens. Both the family and the Friends of the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens Daylesford see it as a memorial to Stuart’s tireless work to raise funds for the Gardens and to raise the profile of the Gardens so that their considerable significance could be more broadly acknowledged.

Lo Spinario (Boy with a thorn) c. 1900 copy after the Greco-Roman Hellenistic antique bronze in Rome. c. 1900 copy after the Greco-Roman Hellenistic antique bronze in Rome (Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome) Manufacturer M. Geiss, Berlin

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'Hepburn Pool is a forgotten treasure which many visitors to Hepburn Springs would never be aware of. The owners of the Bellinzona Grange hotel explained that it was once the hotel pool and was built in the 1930's. You can find it behind this hotel, downhill at a street called The Pool Way. Steps and a ramp continue down to the pool itself and the secluded park around it. It was built into Spring Creek and became a competition pool for state swimming championships. A concrete weir separates a shallow children's pool from the main pool. You can still see the numbers of each lane painted on the walls at the deep end. There are plenty of seats and a barbeque area. A sign says this is a sacred aboriginal spot and you can certainly feel something magical about the place. I wouldn't suggest swimming in the former pool, it looks rather murky now.' Review of Hepburn Pool by 'Jolyon67' on 'Tripadvisor', 3 June 2015

'The Bunji: The Bunjil sculpture emerged from discussions with local indigneous Elders, as a dreamtime totem to the Sacred Pool at Hepburn Springs. The original idea was to create the 3 totems of the area...the Bunjil, The Crow and The Bat. Russell applied for, a council grant of $3,000 to design, create and install the Bunjil Sculpture to overlook the pool and reflect its powerful image in the water.' Information provided by Russell Petherbridge, December 2015

Large scale steel sculpture depicting 'Bunjil', the dreamtime totem of the Hepburn Pool, an eagle in flight.

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This work was first commissioned by the Melbourne city council as part of a celebration of the opening of the Birrarung Marr park. 25 victorian sculptors were given $2,500.00 to create a work which would be part of the park for about 6 months. Date of manufacture and installation: 2002

'Silent/Listen' was gifted by the artist, Petrus Spronk, to the people of Hepburn Springs in July 2001.

Two smooth rectangular engraved granite slabs placed directly on the ground.

Each granite stone is engraved on its uppermost surface. The left hand work is engraved with the text - 'silent' and the right hand work is engraved with 'listen'. Unsigned. Dated July 2001

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Commissioned by the Friends of Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens and gifted to the Hepburn Shire in 2012.

Historical Significance - In 1848, Irish immigrant John Egan took up land on the future town site then known as Wombat Flat. He and a party of searchers found alluvial gold in 1851 on ground now covered by Lake Daylesford initiating the local gold rush. Other finds quickly followed. With the finding of alluvial gold a town site was surveyed and founded in 1852. Initially called Wombat, it was renamed Daylesford. Cultural and Artistic Significance - Miriam Porter's 'Wombat' is a symbol of the Wombat Hill Botanical Gardens where visitors and locals alike love being photographed.

Large scale solid redgum wombat sculpture.

Artist intends to sign the work with 'M' on one leg.

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The work was installed at the cnr of Bridgport St and the Midland Hwy, adjacent to the Daylesford Library, in 1999. The work was commissioned by the Friends of the Library, Daylesford and funded by Arts Victoria and the Australia Council.

Poemscape: a physical anthology is a much loved site specific installation work commissioned by the Friends of the Library, funded by Arts Victoria and the Australia Council, made by Daylesford resident Patrick Jones in response to his interests in the provision of public food, the development of locavore sensibilities and the rethinking of economies of material accountability and regard. Patrick Jones is a poet and non-fiction writer, a visual artist and ecological thinker. In 2013 Patrick Jones was awarded the degree of Doctor in Creative Arts from the University of Western Sydney for his thesis, 'Walking for food. Regaining permapoesis.'

Public Art Environmental installation work installed near the Daylesford Library. Poemscape: a physical anthology comprises of 19 apple trees (18 Fuji apple trees and 1 Granny Smith apple tree) planted on the corner of Bridgport St and the Midland Hwy, adjacent to the library. Adjacent to each tree is a hardwood plinth at topped with a laser engraved brass plate that has been screwed in place. The text of each plate is by 19 poets including the artist and Daylesford resident Patrick Jones, local poets Peter O'Mara, Toby Sime and Robert Campbell, Australian poets Geoff Page, Kath Walker, D T Sime, Judith Wright, Ramona Barry, Jack Davis, Robert Campbell, Christopher Brennan and International Poets Dylan Thomas - Welsh, Sylvia Plath - American, Choku Kanai - Japanese, William Blake - English, Duo Duo - Chinese (translated from the Chinese by John Rosenwald), Yannis Ritsos- Greek (translated from the Greek by Kimon Friar & Kostas Myrsiades), Michel Deguy - French (translated from the French by Clayton Eshleman), Seamus Heaney - Irish and Rainer Maria Rilke - German. The title plate adjacent to the Granny Smith apple tree is by the artist/poet - Patrick Jones.

See photographs with images of each of the laser engraved brass plates.

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Petrus Spronk is an artist of national and international significance who lives in the Hepburn Shire. He is a well loved member of the Daylesford community and gifted this work to the community as thanks for the support he received during his cancer treatment in 2013.

Installation work installed at the Hepburn Sound Shell in 2014. The work comprises ceramic tiles joined/cut into 67 full bird shapes and 3 partial bird shapes.

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'Black Saturday' Bushfire Memorial Sculpture.

Commissioned by the Hepburn Shire with funds provided by the Commonwealth and State Governments through the Bushfire Community Recovery Fund.

Large scale tree-inspired steel and bronze sculpture incorporating two drinking fountains.

Artist's name is laser cut onto the base of the 'trunk' of the tree.

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Local Artist CV Artist Statement

Significant artwork by nationally renowned local artist Petrus Spronk.

Large Scale Outdoor Sculpture made up of a bronze chair with an open book, a bronze shadow and 6 story rocks

Artist signature - underneath

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