Steel artworks of rustic cars and farm trucks, surrounded by sculpted ibises, greet travellers as they drive into Goondiwindi on the Queensland\u2013New South Wales border.<\/p>\n
They are just the introduction to a sculpture trail through the town and along the Macintyre River featuring, among other large pieces, a fish skeleton made from old farming equipment, and a huge pelican.<\/p>\n
Farmers and artists transform Goondiwindi\u00a0<\/p>\n
A significant part of Goondiwindi’s outdoor gallery is the work of cattle and grain farmer Angus Wilson, who, along with other local artists, has made the town a destination for monumental sculpture, giving old farm parts new life.<\/p>\n
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Angus Wilson in his workshop where he creates large-scale steel sculptures for Lanescape. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
He is also president of Lanescape, a community-led art movement, formed in 2018 when the region was in the grip of drought and looking for something to invigorate Goondiwindi and attract tourists.<\/p>\n
A trained architect, he returned to the farm after his studies and followed in his artistic mother’s footsteps.<\/p>\n
“During a dry period or whatever, [when] not much was happening on the farm, I started tinkering around the workshop and it went from there,” he said.<\/p>\n
Angus Wilson with his family on their Goondiwindi property where his passion for art and farming combine. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
Lanescape secretary Tracey Jensen said the local art initiative was born out of a shared community desire.<\/p>\n
“There were a few of us that simultaneously came up with the same idea, [we] went to council and they connected us all together and Lanescape was born out of that.”<\/p>\n
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The Goondiwindi water tower illuminated with colourful projections during the Lanescape art festival. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
The collective effort has transformed the town into a thriving gallery, featuring a laneway of murals and art, and the sculpture trail of big steelworks along the highway and river.<\/p>\n
The laneway is central to this Friday’s annual Goondiwindi Art Festival, which offers locals a creative outlet and encourages those would not consider themselves artists to have a go.<\/p>\n
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Tracey Jensen in Bowen Lane, one of Goondiwindi’s most vibrant art spaces. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
“It’s all about just creating these spaces that people can come and enjoy and participate in,” Ms Jensen said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We always have a great community aspect to our projects so people can come along and participate and meet the artists and have a yarn.”<\/p>\n
The town’s artistic strength was highlighted this year when two local sculptors exhibited in the Swell Sculpture Festival on the Gold Coast.<\/p>\n
New life for old machinery parts<\/p>\n
Angus Wilson’s monumental steel and stone sculpture Tree of Life, which weighs almost 2 tonnes and stands 4 metres high, is back in town on permanent display and will help raise funds for a local men’s mental health charity.<\/p>\n
The second sculptor, Tom Pall, discovered art through his love of welding.<\/p>\n
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Angus Wilson’s steel and stone sculpture Tree of Life at the Swell Sculpture Festival in Currumbin. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
He had contemplated entering the Swell competition for more than a decade before finally taking the plunge with his intricate work that portrays a “mash up of brain, beast and machine.”<\/p>\n
Pall captured the Lanescape philosophy with his advice for those sitting in their sheds and wondering if they should participate in art festivals.<\/p>\n
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Tom Pall works on steel art in his Goondiwindi shed, where he creates pieces for the Lanescape collective. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
“Just have a go. What’s the worst that can happen?” Pall said.<\/p>\n
“A leap of faith and just do it for the joy of doing it. And if you do things for that purpose alone, then you can’t lose.”<\/p>\n
Ms Jensen beamed with pride when talking about both artists.<\/p>\n
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Lanescape\u2019s colourful mural in Bowen Lane has become a landmark of Goondiwindi\u2019s growing art scene. (ABC Landline: Cameron Lang)<\/p>\n
“It’s so exciting to have two local sculpture artists, you know, featured in Swell Festival,” she said, adding that Lanescape plans to bring Pall’s work to the riverbank soon as well.<\/p>\n
The Goondiwindi Lanescape Festival is on Friday, October 10 from 5 to 9pm.<\/p>\n