Meeting the megafauna outside the Wellington Visitor Information Centre
Some might call the entrance to Wellington in NSW a tad whacky and abstract but there’s little doubt the giant wiry sculpture compels the visitor to stop.
The Wellington Gateway Sculpture is a public artwork creation that sits at the southern entrance to Wellington in NSW. It embodies the history of the town, both past and present, but you need to get out of the car and walk among it to fully appreciate all the details.
It feels almost prehistoric as you approach the wiry structure — a giant tripod and wind chime that looks somewhat whimsical but is, in fact, constructed from a significant piece of Wellington’s history: the Old Wellington Bridge.
From disaster to design
On 6 January 1989, the Wellington Bridge collapsed after a Mack prime mover truck carrying a trench digger collided with the bridge’s steel pilots, sending both the truck and a ute into the Macquarie River below. Fortunately, no one was killed in the accident, but the collapse cut the busy Mitchell Highway and isolated Wellington’s northern side from the commercial business district. For a time, the nearby railway bridge became the main thoroughfare, with road workers halting traffic whenever a train needed to pass.
The army later installed a low-level pontoon bridge, which remained in place until a permanent replacement opened in 1991. Parts of the old bridge were then transformed into the sculpture you see today. It became a collaboration between earth-made and man-made and a very creative and unusual use of a disaster. Plenty of signs and interpretive stories on site explain the various elements.
There are signs that tell the story of the Wellington Gateway Sculpture
The Wellington Gateway Sculpture is a fascinating welcome to Wellington, NSW
A community-built landmark
It was Frances Ferguson, described as a “seer of beauty and originality”, who was responsible for creating the Gateway Sculpture, together with artists from the Orana Aboriginal Corporation. Stonework is by Ken Done, metalwork by David Hobba, the glasswork by Brian Hurst and the mosaic designs were created by local schoolchildren. At the centre of the exotic looking piece is a pod like tripod tangled with metal vines. The central wind-chime is surrounded by stone forms with colourful mosaics catching the light at various times of the day.
Each of these elements has an important role in the sculpture’s symbolic representation of Wellington’s character and an excellent sign on site describes the meanings:
“Made from the girders of the old Wellington bridge which collapsed in 1989, its form is based on the shape of a seed pod, representing the fertility of the valley and the future potential of the town. Crowning the pod is a glass dome which, while finishing off the form, shows the colours of the setting sun, adding a glow and a jewel-like quality to the pod. The chimes hanging inside make reference to the stalactites of the caves. Water drips from the stalactites to a pool below that represents the junction of the two local rivers, the Bell and the Macquarie …”
Initially, it was planned for the tripod to have a sculpture of a sulphur-crested cockatoo sitting atop it, but local farmers were against the idea and felt the bird symbolised the destruction of their crops. Many still feel the cockatoo should be added to fulfil the initial intention and wish of the late Frances Ferguson.
The giant wind chimes at the centre of the pod
John Oxley immortalised in poetry and stone
What else to see in town
Just minutes up the road from the Gateway Sculpture is the Wellington town centre comprising of a cafe, information centre and interactive museum on the megafauna and history of the area. It’s also where you can book a guided tour into the Wellington Caves, one of which holds a huge stalagmite known as The Altar which is 32m wide at its base and more than 15m high.
Next door to the Wellington Caves is the Wellington Toyama Osawano Japanese Garden, a peaceful and scenic garden that’s well worth a visit. Caravanners can stay at the spacious campground next door or head out to the brilliant free camp at Ponto Falls Reserve on the Macquarie River, 9km north of Wellington. There are plenty of options at Ponto Falls with camp spots either right on the river or high up on the grassy banks, which is where we camped. Both levels are accessible to caravans, although in wet weather I’d recommend staying higher up. There’s also a dump point and toilet on site.
Free camping at nearby Ponto Falls Reserve on the Macquarie River
Before leaving Wellington make sure you drop into the quirky Lion of Waterloo hotel, the oldest licensed hotel west of the Blue Mountains. Whether heading to or from Dubbo, the entrance to Wellington opens a world of wonder and the symbolic Gateway Sculpture is just the beginning. It’s located at the turn off to Mitchell Highway and Caves Road, 8km south of Wellington.
Plan your trip to Wellington, NSW
Wellington Gateway Sculpture
Corner of Mitchell Highway and Caves Road
Wellington NSW 2820
P: 02 6840 6480
Wellington Visitor Information Centre
Corner of Nanima Crescent and Warne Street
Wellington NSW 2820
P: 1800 621 614
Wellington Caves
Caves Road, Mitchell Highway
Wellington NSW 2820
P: 02 6840 6480
Wellington Toyama Osawano Japanese Garden
Corner of Caves Road and Mitchell Highway, next to Wellington Caves
P: 02 6801 4000
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