Welcome to the 2026 Gatepost Sculpture Competition as part of the Bruny Island Bird Festival sponsored by Friends of North Bruny..
Across the island, locals, families and businesses have transformed their gateposts into a vibrant outdoor gallery celebrating birds, creativity and care for our environment. Each sculpture tells its own story , inspired by place, imagination and the materials at hand.
We invite you to explore this year’s entries and enjoy the creativity that makes this such a special Bruny tradition.
North Bruny
“Rare to Bountiful” by Peter Schwartz, 471 Lennon Road, North Bruny (Adult)
Rare to Bountiful ‘ It’s message is that one saved, nurtured and treasured bird can lead to generations and abundance for the future. It shows a single Forty Spotted Pardalote and the potential for many more. It is made from driftwood, old fencing wire and building waste offcuts.
“Eddie the Eagle” by Peter Schwartz, 741 Lennon Road North Bruny (From the Archives)
This is Eddie’s third bird festival, spruced up and in a new location.
“Ji-mi and Da Buoys” by Lindon Haigh, 190 Power Road North Bruny (Adult)
I see this an an opportunity to support the Bruny Island Bird Festival, display and show awareness of the types general marine waste on our foreshores or just dumped in the bush (or recycled from our last gatepost sculpture). ‘Ji-mi and the buoys’ is constructed 100% from marine junk. It is just not anything else.
Dennes Point
“Turbo” by Jill Baines, 41 Bruny Island Main Road, Dennes Point (Adult)
Inspired by all the birds that visit our garden.
“Bath Time” by Parker and Ellie Niewerth, 41 Bruny Island Main Road, Dennes Point (Junior)
Inspired by birds in our garden.
“Recycle Me” by Giselle Nathan, 82 Bruny Island Main Road, Dennes Point (Adult)
Inspired by all the vulnerable birds in our neighbourhood.
“Indigestion” by Walter Truesdale, 82 Bruny Island Main Road, Dennes Point (From the Archives)
Awareness that many bird species are ingesting plastic and the white bellied sea eagle is towards the top of the food chain this sculpture was a past successful entry a few years ago.
“Seaglass” by Marcus Richards, 87 Bruny Island Main Road, Dennes Point (Adult).
I was inspired to create this as a way to use some of the glass collected from Nebraska Beach
Barnes Bay
“In a Hurry” by Ian Overell, 154 Church Road, Barnes Bay (Adult)
I finally found time to make one for the festival. The materials I have at hand decide the outcome.I have several others in my yard but this one lends itself to the gate post the best.
‘Swan’ by Barry Strange, 314 Missionary Road, Barnes Bay, (Late entry, not judged)
The inspiration came from watching the Black Swans in Barnes Bay, beautiful birds in flight .
Alonnah
“Swiftie” by Bruny Island District School, School Road, Alonnah (Business/Organisation/Group)
The Children of Bruny School have been studying endangered birds of Bruny for the past three years. Last year we spent time studying the Swift Parrot and decided that building a Sculpture of a Swiftie might be a good way to raise awareness and celebrate this beautiful bird. Parent and local legend Nicole Adams welded the frame thanks to a donation from NRM South and the children have woven colour into the Bird using recycled fabrics found at op shops, tip shops and rag bags.
“The Steam Bird” Bruny Island Sauna Co, Pontoon Road, Alonnah (Business/Organisation/Group)
Steam and bird rising from sauna rocks. Mixed media (rocks and fencing wire).
Lunawanna
“Flight on Flight” by Karen Madden, 4546 Bruny Island Main Road, Lunawanna (Adult)
My sculpture is made from an upcycled piece of steel and aluminium drink cans. Instead of focusing on a single bird as there are so many on Bruny Island, it depicts a larger eagle with smaller birds attached, all in silhouette, all in flight.
Time now to VOTE for viewers choice
Voting will close at 4pm on Sunday 22 March
Winners of all categories will be announced just prior to the Sunday evening ‘feast’ on 22nd. We will contact all winners to arrange prizes.
Sculptures in the ‘From the Archives’ category will not be judged and are not included in the People’s Choice voting.