New sculpture to represent city

T“The sculpture will feature four blade-shaped and individually coloured structures, representing sky, land, light and shade”

he Wimmera landscape and Horsham’s post-settlement history have influenced the design of a bold new city sculpture to be erected in coming weeks.

The six-metre interpretive structure will stand on the edge of Sawyer Park and welcome visitors and residents travelling via the Western Highway and O’callaghan Parade.

Foundation works started last week and the project is due to be finished next month.

Horsham Rural City mayor Robyn Gulline said the objective of the project was to communicate the vision of Horsham as a regional city dedicated to supporting the values of sustainability, the environment, agriculture and its people.

“The sculpture will feature four bladeshaped and individually coloured structures, representing sky, land, light and shade,” she said.

“It will reflect the character of the Wimmera, taking inspiration from agriculture and the native flora of the region,” she said.

Stencilling, historically used on wheat and wool bales, will take the form of laser cut transparent words that will encourage people to investigate the sculpture’s details that are inscribed on the back of the blades.

Featured stories include ‘Sawyer Bricks’, about a local family who ran a brick manufacturing business near the site and who Sawyer Park is named after; ‘Ebb and Flow’ tells a story of the river; ‘Crate Pool’ recalls an early swimming area on the river and ‘Horsham Vision’ outlines plans for the city’s future.

Landscaping and accessible paths will be built around the sculpture once it is completed.

New entry signs on the fringes of Horsham will follow later in the year on the Western Highway, at both Melbourne and Adelaide entries, along with updated signs along the riverfront.