A striking steel eagle sculpture created by a prisoner at Wooroloo Prison Farm has swooped in to claim the People’s Choice award at this year’s Gidgegannup Show, the artist donating the $500 prize to Telethon.
The theme of this year’s Rustic Farm Art Awards, held at the community show, was a “trip to the tip” with a focus on using recycled materials to create the art.
“That was embraced by the men in the prison’s metal shop industries area,” Assistant Superintendent, Offender Services Michelle Osborne said. “They’ve used materials found around the prison farm grounds to produce fantastic results.”
The prize-winning 2 metre steel eagle, a life-sized R2-D2 replica, and metal bar stool and table set crafted by prisoners were all showcased at the Awards, which were created to support the Perth Hills community following the devastating 2021 Wooroloo bushfires.
“Seeing those amazing pieces come together and the pride the men take in creating something of great beauty which is then also voted a winner as been incredibly satisfying,” Asst Supt Osborne said.
Pieces crafted in Wooroloo’s woodshop were also major prize winners at the Gidge Show’s creative craft competition.
A chess board table took out two first prizes in separate categories and overall best exhibit for manual craft, a set of candlesticks earned first prize, with first and second prizes for two wooden toy trucks in their categories.
The prison’s farm-grown produce also took several awards, including five first prizes.
But the competition entries were far from Wooroloo’s only contribution to the show, with organisers saying the event couldn’t happen without the hard work of the Section 95 prisoners.
“The prisoners are out of this world. They come every year, help us to set up and look after us,” said Alison Archer from the Gidgegannup Agricultural Society.
“I'm going to give a few tickets to some of their wives to come to the show so they can actually see what hard work they've done and how much we appreciate them.”
“It's a great incentive to get out here and help the community,” one of the men in care said. “It gives us a lot of good thoughts and good feelings.”
