New upcycled dinosaurs stalk Yeppoon landfill
A new brood of dinosaurs are on patrol at the entrance to the Yeppoon landfill, with the art installation recently gaining four new members thans to local builder and artist Steve Ross.
Using scrap metal scavenged from discarded car parts, tools, machinery and even golf clubs, the new pieces include three smaller Australovenators and an innovative nest of dinosaur eggs.
Steve says he’s thrilled by the positive response his Jurassic-themed work has already received.
“It was a challenge to build these new pieces; because they are smaller, I had to find a different suite of parts to put them together, so just as much labour goes into them, but I’ve tried to keep them looking as similar as I can,” Steve said.
“Each piece weighs about 100kg to 150kg and took well over 400 hours to build.
“I enjoy building them because rather than being hidden in someone’s home, the public gets to see and enjoy them, especially the kids who love dinosaurs.”
Australovenator 101
The original sculpture is a life-sized interpretation of the carnivorous Australian Austalovenator, which hails from the Late Cretaceous about 95 million years ago.
If you didn’t learn about the Australovenator or “southern hunter” at school it’s a relatively recent find, scientifically described only in 2009.
It was found approximately 60km northwest of Winton, Queensland’s dinosaur capital.
Livingstone Councillor Tanya Lynch. whose portfolio of Vibrant Community covers tourism, events, and culture, says public art like Steve’s is enhancing the unique charm of our region.
“Place making has positively benefitted our shire, not only by showcasing the wonderful local talent we have here but also by creating welcoming, educational, interactive and visually appealing spaces for visitors and residents to enjoy,” Cr Lynch said.
“The dinosaurs are not the only recycled component of the installation. The concrete slabs and mulch were sourced from the landfill. The railway sleepers and rocks were salvaged from other work sites. The landscaping has been re-purposed from multiple locations and have been selected to present a vegetated backdrop similar to what might have occurred during the time these dinosaurs roamed the earth. To top it off, the site is being irrigated with effluent water.
“Overall this is a fantastic combined effort between several Council teams, highlighting how we can all be more creative and environmentally responsible at the same time.”
Cr Lynch says there are more place making projects underway in the Shire including sculptures and landscaping initiatives.
