The Australian Sand Sculpting Championships recently returned to Frankston foreshore, with this year’s theme being “The Villains of Storytime”. Spectators were treated to giant sand sculptures of familiar villains from fairytales and Disney movies, including a big bad wolf, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, and a mythical siren. Tasmanian artist Meg Murray took home the top prize in the singles category with her sculpture “Screech of the Sea”, impressing judges with her creativity and technical skill.
The competition, which challenges artists to complete their sculptures in just over two days, offers a unique opportunity for participants to showcase their skills at a fast pace. Spectators were captivated by the artists transforming tonnes of sand into intricate creations. While the Australian event is relatively young compared to international competitions, it has a more fun and cartoon-like vibe, according to past winners.
This year’s competition also saw the oldest competitor, 72-year-old Jino R van Bruinessen, creating a sand sculpture of a Japanese folklore demon. Despite the taxing nature of the competition, with artists spending up to 10 hours a day sculpting, first-time competitor Josiah “Jazza” Brooks encouraged others to give it a try, emphasizing the learning experience and camaraderie among participants.
With the standard of sculptures in Australia continually improving, some artists hope to see new faces entering the competition in the future. The use of bricklayer’s sand makes sculpting easier, and competitors are provided with large blocks of sand to work with. Overall, the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships continue to delight both participants and spectators with their creative and impressive sand creations.
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