QUEANBEYAN residents are being asked to embrace their inner artist and help put the finishing touches on the town's latest public artwork - a half-tonne platypus sculpture.
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The sculpture, created by local artist Neil Dickinson, will be installed on the riverbank ahead of the Queanbeyan River Festival on Saturday, October 17.
Community members will have the opportunity to create a mosaic under the guidance of artist Freya Jobbins over three days.
Cultural Development Officer Georgina Perri said the artwork, which will be located in front of the Queanbeyan Art Society Gallery and Riverbank Cafe, will help promote the local wildlife.
"It's in a very prominent spot so people will have the awareness that we have this amazing species in our very healthy river," she said.
"We're in a very unique position to have a city that has a river run through it and to have a healthy platypus population.
"This is an opportunity for local residents to have an input into a new public artwork for their city."
Mr Dickinson who is well-known for creating another town favourite, Morty the Snail, spent three months working on-and-off on the platypus piece.
A steel frame and chicken wire was used as the base and ferro concrete applied on top to create the magnificent animal.
Mr Dickinson has used this technique to create Morty and other creatures including three wombats in Bowral and a number of kangaroos and ibises in Gungahlin.
"It's cost effective doing it this way, if you did it in bronze - something like this would cost tens of thousands of dollars to do," he said.
Mr Dickinson is eager to see the piece with the completed mosaic.
"It's a bit unknown how it going turn out but it's something we haven't done before so it'll be interesting to see the finished product," he said.
The platypus will be a permanent fixture and one of many sculptures on the riverbank next weekend.
More than 30 entries in the Clearwater Sculpture Prize will also be temporarily spread along the waterfront.
There's is a total prize money pool of $7,500 for award winners including the people's choice categories.
The winner will be announced at the Queanbeyan River Festival on October 17 at 12.30pm.
Any community members wanting to help with the mosaic can turn up on the day or pre-register.
No previous experience is needed and all materials and tools will be provided.
Please note this activity is only for children 12-years-old and over.
To pre-register to participate in the community mosaic project visit:
www.qcc.nsw.gov.au.
