Sculpture to rise on Rail Trail
Artist Christabel Wigley's $65,000 timber cube will be installed between Koonwarra and Meeniyan by early June.
A striking new timber sculpture designed as a listening space will rise on the Great Southern Rail Trail between Koonwarra and Meeniyan later this year.
Somers-based artist Christabel Wigley has been chosen through a competitive expression of interest process to create the piece, titled Outside In.
The site-responsive sculpture is a Victorian Government-funded public art project valued at $65,000.
It forms part of South Gippsland Shire Council's broader Great Southern Rail Trail Activation Project, which aims to connect creative, cultural and tourism sectors and enliven the overall trail experience.
Ms Wigley's sculpture draws on the ecological significance of the endangered Strzelecki Gum, a woodland species local to the region.
The work uses scale, sound and an immersive visitor experience to draw attention to the species and will incorporate fallen timber sourced from the Mirboo North storm event.
Trail users will be invited to pause and step inside a tall timber cube that reaches skyward.
A series of sound funnels will carry the surrounding natural sounds into the structure, encouraging quiet reflection and deeper connection with the landscape.
Installation of the artwork is scheduled to be complete by early June.
Mayor Cr Nathan Hersey said the rail trail was already a much-loved community asset.
"Projects like Outside In add another layer of meaning by encouraging people to slow down, engage with the landscape and reflect on the natural environment around them," Cr Hersey said.
"This artwork celebrates both creativity and conservation, while supporting the arts and strengthening South Gippsland's cultural identity."
