A NEW landmark is causing a stir in Lockwood.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bushman's Bath in Flannery Lane depicts an old shearer waving as he takes a bath complete with working shower.
Alan Boromeo and Peter Dickson made the sculpture from recycled materials
The pair said they were amazed at the number of cars they saw slowing down to have a look as they drove past.
Some motorists have even pulled over onto the side of the road for a better look.
With rusty nails for a moustache and ball bearings for fingers, Mr Boromeo and Mr
Dickson have ensured that the shearer has an authentic rustic appeal, as well as a bit of history to him.
The bath in which he soaks is about 120 years old and is only a part of the sculpture because of a lucky find – a fourth leg, identical to the bath's missing one, discovered at the Eaglehawk rubbish tip.
The artists find most of their materials in obscure places.
Some parts have been accumulating in Mr Boromeo's shed for years, while other pieces rely on luck and a good eye.
The shearer's boots were an op-shop find, the mirror frame is a rusty bike chain and the bike's headlight was found at the Broken Hill rubbish tip.
An integral part of the artwork is the windmill, which enables the shower to work.
Mr Boromeo says windmills are a symbol of the bush and he is glad that the the one in the sculpture is an authentic Alston.
Mr Boromeo has been producing works the Bushman's Bath, but usually on a smaller scale, for about six years.
Another of his pieces, A boring machine, which sits alongside Bushman's Bath.
That artwork won the Tonks Sculpture Prize in April this year at the Castlemaine Fringe Festival.
A boring machine similarly comprises odd parts, such as forks and spanners – 30 per cent of the work is made up hardware materials.
But what happens when the weather begins to wear and tear this sculpture?
Mr Boromeo says he is happy to let nature take over and let it rust naturally and he would let the shearer build up an even more realistic rust and charisma.
Mr Boromeo has also been painting for many years, with a similar style to the late Broken Hill artist Pro Hart.
Mr Boromeo's paintings, as well as some of his sculptures, will be on display at Raspberries Cafe in central Bendigo from November 26 until December 21.