Platypus Rising along Mount Emu Creek

Corangamite Shire, GPG Australia Berrybank Wind Farm

Stewart Park Skipton, Wadawurrung Country, Victoria

Since its unveiling in 2022, Platypus Rising is now a prominent landmark in Skipton, drawing visitors to the surrounding Stewart Park nature reserve.

Our primary challenge was developing a public artwork concept that would resonate with the local community and celebrate the locality. Our creative team engaged the Corangamite Shire Council and Community Reference Group in the consultation process. This was vital to ensuring the artwork would reflect Skipton's identity and character, and be embraced by local residents and visitors. 

The design is a four-metre-high corten-steel sculpture featuring platypuses cast in patinated aluminium gracefully swimming around grass reeds. A nearby large-scale mural located on Mt Emu Café depicts eucalyptus leaves and florals found in the Skipton region, as well as the iconic platypodes, and the sculpture reflects the reeds in the nearby creek.

Within the Platypus Rising sculpture, four platypuses appear to swim upwards around grass reeds topped with seed pods. The sculpture is positioned on the banks of Mount Emu Creek in Stewart Park and can easily be viewed from the Glenelg Highway. The large-scale mural is situated on the wall of Emu Café on the corner of Montgomery and Anderson Streets.

The sculpture is now a feature of the Skipton Art Trail, enhancing the area's cultural vibrancy and contributing to local tourism. Beyond its visual appeal, the project has strengthened the town's identity, with the sculpture serving as a lasting tribute to the Corangamite region's natural beauty.