Sculptures to capture timber cutter history

FEBRUARY 3, 2012 4:31am

Four large-scale public artworks depicting the history of the timber industry in southern NSW will be unveiled in June.

By Nikala Dixon

The sculptures will be located in Moama, Mathoura, Deniliquin and Pretty Pine and will aim to reflect the traditions and stories of the timber industry as told by the local communities.

Victorian artists Geoff Hocking and Jonathan Leahey were commissioned by the Long Paddock Committtee to create and install the artworks.

Long Paddock Committee president Peter McCrabb said the four new artworks would add to an existing seven-piece collection installed by the Long Paddock Committee in 2010.

‘‘We were fortunate to receive funding through the Riverina Red Gum Regional Employment and Community Development Fund to install the artworks,’’ he said.

‘‘The artworks have been on display over the past six weeks in each of our visitor centres and these comments have been fed back into the final design.’’

The Moama sculpture will feature ‘‘happy’’ barge masters; the various tools of a timber cutter will be immortalised in Mathoura’s sculpture; while the Denilquin sculputre will feature a giant cross bench saw slicing through a piece of red gum.

The sculpture at Pretty Pine will be of a timber cutter having a ‘‘smoko’’ on a red gum log.