DAD AND DAUGHTER CARVE MEMORIES TOGETHER Photos Yanni
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YE father and daughter Jim and Anna McCauley are carving some special memories as they work alongside each other on the southern peninsula’s newest attraction – Sand Sculpting Australia presents Peter Pan.
They have joined 13 other award-winning international and Australian sand sculptors as they intricately carve 3500 tonnes of sand into Peter Pan themed artworks along the wetlands and garden pathways of Boneo Maze. Jim has been involved with the sand sculpting movement on the peninsula from the beginning. In 2000 he approached the Rye Action Group with the idea of a sand sculpture exhibition and competition on the Rye Foreshore.
Jim was involved with enticing the world champion, American Kevin Crawford, to Rye and establishing an event that has offered a long-standing connection for many families. The event attracted the support of Vic Health, Mornington Peninsula Tourism, and Vision Australia, who ran it for many years. Jim was so inspired by the sand sculptors he met that he decided to learn the craft himself. “I feel as if I’m the longest apprenticed sand sculptor ever,” he said. “Each time I return I learn new skills from other experts. Before that I’d only ever built sand castles on the beach. I started off helping with the basics, like windows and doors, and then I became more and more confident. Before I knew it, I was designing and working on my own sand installations.” continued next page...
E ssence
16 | PENINSULA
January 2019