Kororoit Creek Sculpture Trail (Altona North)

The sculpture trail is a fun walk through a beautifully regenerated area with huge quirky sculptures and other art installations along the way.

The trail which runs beside Kororoit Creek between Blackshaws Road and Barnes Road is 1.9 km long (one direction).

The Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek have done a great job with regeneration of the bush along the banks of the creek and installation of the sculptures in an area which used to be derelict industrial land. The sculptures are the work of renowned Brooklyn artist Geoffrey Ricardo. His work which is titled "A Strange Trail of Beasts, Spirits and Guardians" features eight large figures which are about three metres tall. They are evenly spaced along the trail.

According to the artist, each figure represents a 'spirit' of the creek-side landscape, walking or pausing along its banks, a 'reflection and discussion of the many things we are as human beings'.

Kororoit Creek Sculpture Trail

The sculptures have a poem associated with them, which is written by an Australian author about the work, which is carved into blocks of stone laid into the ground.

Our favourite poem is attached to a man holding a ladder up to the sky. The poem, by Nick Gadd, is:

'Hey, Atlas!' 'What?' 'Can you hold this ladder for a minute?'
'Why?' 'I want to climb to the sky and pocket the gold coin of the sun. I want to scoop up the stars and make a diamond necklace for my love. I'll wrap it in sky-blue paper and tie it with silk spun from the clouds.'
'Will you be up there long?' 'No time at all.
Just hold it steady. Bit higher, bit higher, back in a tick.'

The sculptures include a huge kangaroo person, a person protruding out the bottom of a boat and a person with an armful of birds, a "guardian of the creek' who holds indigenous birds that have returned to the area since the Friends of Lower Kororoit Creek began rehabilitating the waterway.

Kororoit Creek Sculpture Trail

The best place to start the walk is along Blackshaws Road (about 250 m east from Grieve Parade in the G J Hosken Reserve). There is a car park, toilets and water tap with a bowl for dogs to have a drink. There are no water taps or bins along the trail. There is also an information board which shows names and pictures of all the birds which might be seen in the area.

The shared trail is smooth and wide and really well signposted and there are no excuses for not finding all the sculptures which create an exciting highlight along the walk. The trail is bike, walking, scooter and pram friendly.

There is a sculpture next to a grassy area near the car park. The wide, concrete trail runs to the west from the carpark for a short distance and you will find one of the sculptures off the main trail in the bush. To find the remaining six sculptures, you will need to take the trail heading east along Blackshaws Road before it follows the creek and heads south.

Along the route there are a number of spots with wooden seats to take a rest and one spot, on the bank of the creek, has a picnic table and two shaded seats. There are also metal fences which create safety barriers for sections of the trail which have very steep banks. Snakes occur naturally in this area but there shouldn't be any problems if you stick to the path. If you see a snake remain calm and avoid disturbing it.

Half way along the trail there is a path leading to Harris Reserve where there is a basic playground. In this area there is one sculpture which is located on the other side of the creek and you will get a distant view of this sculpture (read further on how to get a close-up view).

When you reach the end of the trail and get to Barnes Road there is a bridge across the creek and two pole forest art installations, one on each side of the creek.

Kororoit Creek Sculpture Trail

At this point you need to decide how to get back to your car. You can either retrace your steps or take the unsealed gravel trail on the other side of the creek. The advantage of the unsealed trail is that you get a close-up view of the sculpture with a ladder being held up high in the air. The disadvantage is that you leave the reserve at the end of Dohertys Road and have to walk along the side of this road, along the footpath beside Grieve Parade and then back along the trail to the carpark. The path along Grieve Parade has a huge amount of grotty, dumped litter and rubbish which makes for an unpleasant experience. This route back to the car park is 2.5 km long. Our advice is to retrace your steps.

Access for Dogs:

Dogs are allowed on the trail but must be on leash at all times.

Photos: