Something magical is unfolding in Bargara, with a giant pile of sand ready to be shaped and sculpted into creatures of the sea.
It’s all part of the Milbi Festival’s free Turtle Art Walk and Family Fun Day tomorrow, which will include art activity stations from Crawford Park through to Jayteens Park.
Sunshine Coast sand sculptor Arron McCormick is in the region for the event said he would be morphing 16 cubic metres of sand into turtles for the Milbi Festival celebration.
The artist said he had been sand sculpting for about 17 years using a soft compaction method.
“The way I build my sculptures is by soft compaction, so I use a lot of water and mix the sand together. I make a mixture, like a temporary cement almost,” he said.
“Timing varies but some sculptures may take two hours, like a small turtle perhaps. Some can take a few days.”
“On average I would say about seven hours for each.”
Arron said it had been a long time since he had visited the region and was looking forward to tomorrow’s Turtle Art Walk event
“I love working for myself and having that sense of freedom and being outdoors, I’m very often by the beach which is a nice place to be,” he said.
“I am just happy to be here, it s a great place, a nice region and I haven’t been here for a very long time.”
Bargara comes alive with art and culture
The art walk event will also include mosaic milbis at Crawford Park with Paul Perry and Julie Highlands and the construction of a turtle collage with found objects at the Basin on Kellyβs Beach.
Participants can also create a recycled jellyfish with Beverley Whip on the Bargara Beach Boardwalk and make unique ceramic and woven objects with Kathy Valks at the Rotunda along Bargaraβs Esplanade.
The main stage and live musicians will be held at the end of the footpath at Jayteens Park where there will be sculpture workshops, bands and other free, fun family activities.
Festivities commence at 10 am and finish at 4 pm.
- Other Milbi Festival stories:
- Sights and sounds of Milbi Gala Opening set to impress
- Creativity key at Milbi Festival Family Fun Day