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Art Trail

Explore the Outdoor Gallery

Discover striking pieces of artwork nestled within Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s 27 hectares of lush, sub-tropical environment.

Blinky Bill

Artist: Scott Maxwell

Animals with Attitude Sculpture Trail, a world class public art event, saw 50 larger-than-life quirky and colourful giant Koalas take up residence across the City of Gold Coast during 2013 and 2015. A fundraising initiative of the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, the event raised awareness of Koala conservation and the incredible work of Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.

Map Location: F18

A large, painted koala statue wearing red suspenders stands among green bushes and foliage.

A large green lizard sculpture made from LEGO bricks is displayed on a table, surrounded by small LEGO trees and buildings.

Lego Water Dragon

Artist: Andrew and Damian

The Yugambeh Water Dragon acknowledges the Yugambeh people, who are the traditional custodians of the land located in South-East Queensland and North-Eastern New South Wales.

When designing the build, artists Andrew and Damian consulted with a local Elder and utilised colours found in traditional Yugambeh art. This project, co-funded with the support of Study Gold Coast’s Education Vision Project Fund, involved four live Lego builds with Andrew and Damian, runners up in Season Two of Channel Nine’s Lego Masters.

For the project, Andrew and Damian have designed and built four amazing Lego water dragons, each one celebrating a unique aspect of Queensland’s beautiful Gold Coast.

Map Location: F17

Borobi

Artist: John Cox’s Creature Workshop

Exhibited in Gold Coast Commonwealth Games 2018 Fan Trail, Games mascot Borobi is one of eight fiberglass sculptures that was created for the Commonwealth Games.

Map Location: H16

A colorful mascot statue with blue skin, large sunglasses, and spiky head feathers stands with arms outstretched in a garden setting.

Migration

Artist: Parvaneh Roudgar

Exhibited in SWELL Sculpture Festival, Currumbin Beach 2019, Migration symbolizes a family of Canadian geese migrating to a new home in search of a brighter future.

Through shapes that reflect great enthusiasm and strength, birds unite in groups to conquer new spaces.

Map Location: G16

How this land was wrought

Artist: Hugh Sawrey

Hugh Sawrey (1919-1999) was commissioned to paint a large mural in the entry of the Sanctuary main building in 1972.

A Queensland-born artist who developed a national reputation for his paintings depicting Australian outback life in the 1860s and 1870s, Sawrey used sawn timber as his canvas in recognition of the timber leases granted in the area a century earlier.

Map Location: E17

Abstract painting depicting several figures in hats and colorful clothing, set against a loosely-rendered backdrop with hints of buildings and tents.

A wire mesh sculpture of a persons head and shoulders with red and white face paint, displayed at the SWELL Sculpture Festival.

Totem

Artist: Ivan Lovatt

Exhibited in SWELL Sculpture Festival, Currumbin Beach 2019, Totem, created by award-winning sculptor Ivan Lovatt, immortalises Luther Cora, a respected artist and cultural leader from the Yugambeh language group. Sculpted in chicken wire form to demonstrate the artist’s versatility and adaptability, it captures Luther’s pride, dignity, and power.

Map Location: F16

Bower

Artist: Lynda Lehmann and Cherie Noble

The male Satin Bowerbird gets his name from his shiny blue plumage and the ‘bower,’ which he builds as a courtship arena during breeding season. He collects bright blue coloured objects to adorn his bower. These beautiful objects, his personal collection, are a signal to potential mates of ability to provide a way to secure his contribution to the survival of his species. Bower was exhibited in SWELL Sculpture Festival, Currumbin Beach 2019.

Map Location: H15

Totem / The Fragile

Artist: John Anthony Forno

There’s resilience and strength in the art of Origami, a practice that arist John remembers fondly from his childhood. This sculpture, exhibited in SWELL Sculpture Festival, Currumbin Beach 2020, is a response to the moving and static imagery that infiltrated social media feeds during the 2019/20 bushfire season.

John hopes this sculpture will serve as a stark reminder of our role in climate change and the consequences of not acting.

Map Location: M14

Selkie

Artist: Unknown

Emerging from a shell, you will find the ethereal Selkie across from Pelican Point. Hair billowing in an invisible water current, she is a nod to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary’s proximity to Currumbin Beach.

Map Location: O13

A large sculpture of a creature with orange eyes, white horns, tusks, and a wide mouth stands on a garden path surrounded by greenery and a yellow sign.

The Gruffalo

Artist: Steve Collon

Carved from a single eucalyptus log, this striking Gruffalo sculpture is a unique tribute to wild places and the stories they inspire. Known for his adventures through deep, dark woods, the Gruffalo has a special connection to nature – making this sculpture feel right at home here among the trees. Donated in 2019, it now forms a much-loved part of The Gruffalo Trail, blending storybook magic with the beauty of local landscapes.

Map Location: Q9

Conscience The Koala

Artist: Unknown

Donated by former State MP Jann Stuckey, this addition to the Animals with Attitude Sculpture Trail is a reminder to us all of the obligation we have to protect our Koalas and their habitat.

Map Location: R3

A colorful koala statue with a patterned design stands beside a sign explaining it was donated as a reminder to protect koalas and their habitat. Trees and a walkway are visible in the background.

A painted koala statue featuring city buildings and trees on its body stands outdoors on wood chips near a railing.

Adapting to the Jungle

Artist: Julie Maddocks

Another addition to the Animals with Attitude Sculpture Trail, a fundraising initiative of the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, which raised awareness of Koala conservation and the incredible work of Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.

Map Location: R3

Lost Valley

Open 10am – 3pm daily

Immerse yourself in an environment that existed millions of years ago. Featuring 5 acres of stunning rainforest, Lost Valley takes you on a journey through the ancient supercontinent Gondwana.

Jingeri – Hello

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the greater Yugambeh language region, the Country on which Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Hospital are situated today. We recognise their continuing connections to the land, sky, waters (waterways), and wildlife. We thank them for caring for this Country and its ecosystems.

We celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and we pay our respect to Elders past and present.