COLOURFULWORLD

Sunday 14 September 2014

Public Art in Perth 7 - Burswood Park

These wonderful statues are all  located in Burswood Park, a 3,5km long park on the south bank of the Swan River in the suburb of Burswood, 5 min. away from the CBD, with lots of walking and cycling trails, picnic spots, playground, lakes, birdlife and of course the Crown Casino and Hotel.
A heritage trail provides sculptures representing local sporting history.
There are walking tours of the park departing from the Visitor Information centre, at 11,50am daily.


Map from Burswood Park site

The Smith sculptors  (Charles Smith and Joan Walsh-Smith) whose statues are represented all over Perth (Kings Park, Fremantle, etc) are the sculptors of all of these statues in Burswood Park.

Citizen of the year Swan Fountain

This magnificent 10 metre high bronze sculpture in the "Citizen of Year Lake". 
The  statue of the 5 swans emerging from their nest, was commissioned in 1988, and represent each of the 5 categories of the Citizen of the Year Award. Surrounding the lake, you can see the plaques with the engraved names of the people that won each year's category.

The fountain rises 6 metres and circulates about 2000 litres of water per minute. 
This photo taken in December 2007, on a day out visiting Burswood Park, when my parents visited from Portugal and my younger sister, brother in law and 2 nephews visited from South Africa.



In this photo taken in 2010 when my middle sister visited from Portugal, shows the whole lake with the 5 Swans and a Cygnet statue. Burswood hotel and Casino in the background.








Black Swan

Another statue by the Smith duo, unveiled in 1996, this giant bronze black swan (State bird of Western Australia), seems to be taking flight. In the background you can see the city of Perth on the other side of the Swan River.




 Swan Shell 

Designed to reflect a swan in flight, this elegant statue is next to the Citizen of the Year Swan fountain statue. It's a popular venue for outdoor concerts and a popular spot for wedding photos.


Henry Camfield - First Pioneer Settler

Henry Camfield migrated from England to the Swan River Colony in 1829 with two servants and their families, and was granted 1000 acres, which he named after him home town in Kent - Burrswood.




My sister who visited in 2010 leans against Henry Camfield, and Burswood Casino in the background



Hopscotch

These bronze statues depict children playing Hopscotch in their 19th century Sunday clothes. Next to the statues is another area for the kids to play hopscotch as well.
Unveiled in 1994 to coincide with the "Year of the Family".


Keeping the Flame Alight

Depicting two of Western Australia's sporting legends - the athletes Herb Elliot and Shirley Strickland. They face each other and hold the Olympic torch in the air. 
The sculpture also depicts the Olympic torch relay for the Sydney Olympics (2000) which went through the town of Victoria Park (next to Burswood) in July 2000. This statue was unveiled in April 2001.

Me in front of the statue in 2010

There are a few more statues in Burswood Park, but these are probably the most iconic.
Which was your favourite?

8 comments:

  1. Definitively the 5 Swans - amazing! And on the list for February!
    You have a great family, I may add.

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  2. Thanks Iris, yes the 5 Swans are a beautiful statue!

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  3. Bit hard to pick Sami.. definitely leaning towards the swan fountain also, but really the Smith sculptures are totally amazing, the two athletes, wow!

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  4. The Smiths really are a talented couple, so many of their statues all over Perth!

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  5. My favourites were the swan and the two athletes. The first because it's at the right spot by the lake and with a great landscape behind, and the last because even though it's a sculpture it reflects movement and energy. Is Hopscotch what we call "macaca"? Always learning ;)

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  6. The swan fountain is really something!

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    1. Thanks Jose, it is rather a grand statue and beautiful lake.

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