Discovering Albany’s Sculpture Trail
Where else in Australia will you find a warning sign not to get out of your car because of the threat of 'dangerous wildlife'? In the south-west of Western Australia, Albany is renowned for its dramatic coastline, famous National Anzac Centre, and as the departure point for warships bound for Gallipoli in WWII. It's also known as WA's first British settlement, for its large windfarm, historic whaling station, and much more.
One thing that came as a real surprise on our recent visit however, was discovering a wonderful wooden chainsaw sculpture trail through a bush landscape on private property on the edge of town – more on those dangerous animals later!
With well over 130 chainsaw-carved wooden sculptures, all standing short and tall beside the drive through trail or peeking out through the bush, this creative attraction is a 'must see' when visiting WA's south-west. The brainchild of local chainsaw artist Darrel Radcliffe, these finely carved pieces in all different shapes and sizes are real works of art.
There is a wide variety of animals, including kangaroos, possums, insects, snakes, lizards, crocodiles, a herd of giraffes, lots of birds, and a bear climbing a tree looking for the honey pot. You'll also find knights in armour, human figures (including a three-metre-high Ned Kelly), a castle, gnomes, old cars adorned with sculptures, and plenty of other quirky objects. When first arriving at Darrel's Chainsaw Sculpture Drive, visitors are greeted by a medieval castle and a large walrus on one side of the entry gate and a six-metre long giant wooden chainsaw on the other.
A long-time Albany local, Darrel originally started carving metal, but these days has turned his talents to working with timber, preferably local jarrah – a rich redwood native to the region. Although a tough hardwood, jarrah is (in fact) reasonably soft against his sharp chainsaw blades, Darrel explains; but strong enough for carving fine details – an art form he has well and truly mastered.
With a passion for promoting tourism, art and the Albany region, Darrel decided to open the gate to his property and encourage visitors to enjoy his one kilometre trail through the bush. It's turned out to be a real stroke of genius. There is no entry fee to drive along Darrel's amazing Chainsaw Sculpture Drive – but there is a voluntary donation box halfway along the trail, encouraging a donation of $5 per adult.
Operating up to seven different sized chainsaws, Darrel tries to spend three or four days a week working on his creations, each of which is totally unique. It seems when deciding what to create, Darrel often just looks at the piece of wood itself – the natural shape of trees, stumps and branches – for inspiration. Then with chainsaw in hand, away he goes.
Some of the larger sculptures can take Darrel a couple of weeks to produce, whilst he can complete others in a day or two. Most people we have spoken to all agree the $5 donation (which helps to keep Darrel churning out these wonderful pieces) is real value for money – "a real steal", as one visitor remarked.
As we proceeded along this whimsical bush trail, with our heads turning from side to side, we found we were continuously smiling and even laughing as we took in the creative way Darrel has presented his bush creations; hanging in branches, hiding behind tree stumps, peering out through leaves, hiding in the grass, and in all sorts of other strange positions.
As you can imagine, this is not a trail that you can rush through, but bear in mind that warning sign along the way, advising visitors of 'dangerous wildlife' and not to get out of your car! We believe this sign is more about keeping people moving along this quite narrow trail and deterring kids – both small and large – from climbing on or disturbing the sculptures. On the day of our recent visit, there were at least four or five other vehicles slowly making their way along the trail.
When visiting Albany, make sure you don't miss this amazing attraction.
Journey Planner
The sculpture trail is located on private property at 333 Mercer Road, Walmsley, in Albany, Western Australia. It is open to visitors every day from 8am to 5pm. The trail is not recommended for caravans, camper trailers or large motorhomes. Allow at least half an hour to drive the trail. You simply drive slowly up the driveway, stopping for photos through your car window. Do a loop towards the rear of the property and then return by the same road, so you get a good visual on both sides of your vehicle. An honesty box is provided for donations of $5 per adult (cash only) – real value for money. If you feel you may have missed some of the sculptures on your first drive through, simply do it all again!
