Today I visited the Brick Bay Sculpture Trail. We started in the outdoor café area with a flat white while looking out over the pond where Virginia King’s Phantom Fleet Vessel sculpture sits. It was a sunny autumn day. The air was fresh, and once the sun warmed up it still felt like summer.
After the caffeine fix we began the sculpture trail. There are more than 50 sculptures, ranging from ceramic and bronze to wood and stone.
The variety of scale and form stood out to me. The trail is about two kilometres long and follows a mix of boardwalk and gravel paths through native New Zealand bush.
Along the trail there was constant birdsong, which made the walk feel calm and quiet.
The native planting and landscape design were also a highlight for me as a landscape gardener. I noticed the attention to detail throughout the trail.
The trail has been open since 2007, so I was surprised that I hadn't visited before now! My favourite pieces were by artists Terry Stringer, Jeff Thomson, Virginia King, and Ben Pearce. Now that Brick Bay is local for me, I will likely visit more often.
If you are planning to visit the exhibition, allow two to three hours to comfortably see all the works. I have heard the food is also very good, although I have not tried it yet. I will be back soon.
