Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong

1 - 30 April 2025

Discover 18 breathtaking sculptures by local and national artists at the Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong exhibition!

Throughout April, this free and exciting exhibition will make home at one of our city's favourite natural spaces, the Wollongong Botanic Garden. Take a stroll through the Garden and immerse yourself in art and the stories behind each work.

This exhibition also includes artist tours, walk and talks, workshops and events. See the events listed below for more information.

Opening hours

Come along during the below opening hours:

1-5 April, 7am-6pm
6-30 April, 7am-5pm
Closed Good Friday, 18 April

See our Hours and Locations page for more details on getting here and location details.

Exhibition Catalogues

Download the PDF catalogue to help you on your visit, which includes a map and sculpture details. Got little ones? Check out the Kid's Guide with fun activities to do along the way.

Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong Catalogue - 2025 Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong Kids Guide - 2025

Or pick up a printed copy at the Garden.

Exhibiting artists

  • S.A. Adair
  • Glenn Barkley
  • Mechelle Bounpraseuth
  • Damien Butler
  • Gary Christian
  • Mark Cuthbertson
  • David Doyle
  • Angela Forrest
  • Fe Heffernan
  • Bianca Hester
  • Danny Ivanovski
  • Dr Virginia Keft (Muruwari)
  • Stephanie Quirk
  • Leen Rampe and Virge Nielsen
  • Jenny Reddin
  • Robyn Rumpf
  • Chris Wilson
  • Sculptor in Residence: Greer Taylor.
  • Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong events

    Exhibition prizes

    Every two years we present Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong at Wollongong Botanic Garden.

    The exhibition includes a $30,000 Wollongong Acquisitive Sculpture Prize, a $3,000 People's Choice Prize and for the first time in 2025, a $10,000 Ephemeral Prize.

    Keep an eye on our social media channels for the winner announcements!

    Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong news

    Tuesday 3 December 2024
    Art and Culture

    Past exhibitions and the permanent collection

    All previous winners become part of our city's permanent public art collection and can be viewed at Wollongong Botanic Garden during opening hours.

    Winner: Banksia by Deborah Redwood (below, photo by Tad Souden).
    (located at the Turpentine Lawn / grid reference N9 on the Garden Map PDF, 76 KB)

    Watch our YouTube interview with Deborah Redwood to learn more about her winning work.

    Two works were also highly commended:

    • The Bush Custodians by Camie Lyons
    • The Monolith of Contemplation by Selby Ginn.

    The 2023 People's Choice Award was a tie between two works:

    • Enlightened by Nature by Julianne Brandt
    • Memorial for Black Summer by Danny Ivanovski.

    Download the 2023 catalogue below to see other works featured in the exhibition.

    2023 Sculpture in the Garden catalogue PDF, 3506.39 KB

    Winner: Curious Dream of an Architect by Fatih Semiz (below, photo by Tad Souden).
    (located near the Japanese Tea House / grid reference L6 on the Garden Map PDF, 76 KB)

    Winning sculpture, Curious Dream of an Architect, by Fatih Semiz.  Photo by Tad Souden

    Three works were also highly commended:

    • Splash by John Fitzmaurice
    • Evolve by Laura Nolan
    • My Greatest Lament by Mark Cuthbertson

    The 2021 People's Choice Award went to Evolve by Laura Nolan.

    Winner: Steel City by Michael Purdy
    (located near the Kawasaki Bridge / grid reference L3 on the Garden Map PDF, 76 KB)

    Michael Purdy's sculpture 'Steel City' featuring five columns of various heights made from metal, stone and wood

    Winner: King Coal by Louis Pratt
    (located in the Flowering Trees and Shrubs Collection / grid reference P6 on the Garden Map PDF, 76 KB)

    Louis Pratt's sculpture 'King Coal' featuring the head and torso of a man wearing a cap backwards with his arms crossed

    If you’d like more information, email or call (02) 4227 7111.

    Top image: (detail) James Rogers, Blue Planet, painted steel (polyurethane), Sculpture in the Garden Wollongong 2023.