What better way to spend a sunny Sunday. It’s mid summer and we live in Australia’s tourist mecca. The beach is crowded with beautiful tanned bodies and the ocean is the perfect place to cool down.
The Gold Coast has 40 kilometres of pristine beaches and it’s not often we come to Surfer’s Paradise, preferring our own, usually, less crowded beach at Burleigh, but this weekend we have been drawn here to see the annual sand sculpting competition.
We first pass Peter Pan and Tinkerbell who are sheltering inside the Paradise Centre. Then it is out into the heat to join the crowds admiring the rest of the displays.
The winner
AFTER three days of battle, a New South Wales person has been crowned the 2015 Australian Sand Sculpting Champion.
Jino van Bruinessen was awarded the title on the Surfers Paradise Foreshore yesterday for his sculpture of Winnie the Pooh and friends.
Interpreting this year’s theme of ‘Magical Friendships’ featuring Disney, the winning sculpture weighed in at more than 10 tonnes and took around 26 hours to create.
Bruinessen pocketed $2500 and also won a second trophy for the People’s Choice Award.
Here are some of the other entries.
One of the sculptors is still putting her finishing touches to her creation.
No additives are put into the sand, only water. The sand is a heavy grade, also known as “brickies sand” and it comes from the mouth of rivers. It has more squarish grains and will stick together better than the fine sand found on the beaches.
The finished sculpture is sprayed with an environmentally-friendly biodegradable spray that gives them a water resistant coating.
This little fairy is fascinated with them.
I took this photo of the beach and when I downloaded onto the computer I discovered more sand creations. Can you see them?
I can’t make out what the one on the right is. Any suggestions?
These young Asian girls have just been out for a surfing lesson. Those are big boards for them to handle.
Late afternoon and the sun slowly sinks behind the hi-rise buildings giving some welcome relief in the shade.
It has been an interesting afternoon but I can see the golden arches of Macdonald’s tucked in among the hi-rise buildings.
Time for a coffee and an ice cream sundae before heading home.
gypsy life 
Hi thank you for sharing my art 🙂 (I made the donkey and dragon) feel free to check out my website if you like the stuff!!!
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Hey how fantastic that you have found my blog and taken the time to comment. I really admired your work
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Love sand art.. and its amazing how wonderful they sculpture the sand.. I think the 3 little figures may have been his own sand art at the side of the man sitting on the beach.. Looked fun.. 🙂
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Yes it was a fun day out…
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cool sand art!
did you ever figure what the third little sand creation was? a fairy with an orange cone hat?
and the girl in the blue dress – awe – great portrait shot – so nice….
❤
I also loved the shot of the surf class – brought back memories of when my boys did this. we paid extra so they could go out with the "surf school" because it is an experience – and whew, surfing is a lot of work. I also heard that larger boards (the longboard) are easier to get up on and paddle with – but I guess some experienced ones still like them too….
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Could be a fairy, Jude sees it as Santa Claus on vacation and Sylvia thinks it could be a bishop, all good guesses…2 of Jacks boys are passionate surfers but now a days they do not have so much time for surfing. Jobs and family take up their time now…
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yes – surfing can suck time up big time – so I can see why they do not get to do it too much while in family mode – esp. if the kids are young (whew was that an friend time) and thanks for sharing the other guesses – I sometimes get to read the other comments but did not this time – and I like both of them –
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Jason is now teaching his 14 yo to surf so I guess it gives him an opportunity to get out there.
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oh that is cool – passing it down….
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Yes they are a real hands on family, home schooling and very active
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how cool – you must be so proud –
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We are they are a lovely family…
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❤
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is this the person who used borax to heal with ? just curious
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No that is James, the youngest son (41 yo) and his back is still good, he has been able to start diving again, much to his joy.
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oh that is so awesome. and I have just noticed that a lo of supplements for celiac disease are including “boron” – and well, that is just borax!!
have a nice day and hi to Dr. J for moi
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The sand sculptures always amaze me. They create them here (Virginia Beach) toward the end of September.
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They amaze me too Patti, they put in so much hard work and dedication for such a short lived sculpture
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good photos, I went down there today at 6 am was good. took some photos on my android as forgot to charge my camera battery. silly me. They are well done the sand sculptures and loved the one that won. I also liked the one with the crocodile. My first time down to Surfers to see them usually see them at the shopping malls. This year they dont have one at the Pines as it is getting its big upgrade to bigger size. Thanks again for sharing your photos
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It would be nice and quiet at that time and the light would be better than when I took the photos, lots of glare at 3pm. Phones take good photos now…
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Some great sculptures here although I can understand why the winner was chosen – they even managed to get the grain of the wood in their piece! Looks like a beach paradise.
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The detail in the winning sculpture was amazing. A well deserved win, we thought it was the best one.
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The amazing skills people have! And a capacity to create and let go. If I made something like these sculptures I couldn’t bear to see them disappear.
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It must be difficult to put so much work (and sweat in this heat) and then only see them for 2 weeks. But they certainly brought a lot of joy to young and old…
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You captured the day perfectly.
I noticed you got a comment from Jackie
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It was a good day… 🙂
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Amazingâ¦.
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I think it will be warmer here than where you are now…
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Ahh it would break my heart to see them wash or blow away!
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They will be demolishing them all next week, what a shame they should leave them longer I think…
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awwww I wish Australia wasn’t that far away !!!!!
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Yes we are quite isolated over here, but then I often wish it was closer to visit all the lovely places you have (but not in winter!!!)
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Hi ! I’ve been challenged to post 5 black and white pictures in a row, one per day and each time I have to challenge someone to try that too, are you up for it ? Thanks in advance ! If you don’t want to it’s ok too ofcourse !
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I’ve seen this challenge doing the rounds Gwennie, it looks interesting. Thank you for thinking of me I will sort through my photos and start it next week.
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thank you !!
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Manna from heaven for us all in the cold hemisphere – thank you for the warmth & sunshine & SAND (rather than that frozen stuff)!
del xx
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I thought of you all when I did this post Del.
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Father Christmas on his holidays!!!
Love the winner – I’d have chosen that one too. And is that Jack looking very smart in his camel T-shirt?
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Oh yes I can see Santa Claus Jude, good guess… Yes that is Jack in one of his op shop specials… I’ve been to Rajasthan riding camels, Jack didn’t come with me on that adventure… He went to Fiji!!!!
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Is there anywhere in this world you haven’t been to? ❓
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Oh yes, It is a BIG world and I’ve missed a few places, my greatest disappointment was not going to Sth America and I have not been to Africa. I think I am running out of time and energy for those places now… 😦
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I was never interested in the Americas until a few years ago when I had the opportunity to go to the USA and discovered their amazing landscapes. I’m now considering South America, in particular Chile as those salt lakes fascinate me! Will have to be a tour though, can’t see me trying to do it independently.
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I agree about the tours unfortunately on a pension now so they may be out of reach unless I win the lotto… 🙂
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Looks like a great place to spend the day. I love looking at sand sculptures, and you have some real beauties here. I think the little chap on the right must be a bishop, with his pointy red hat. 🙂
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Another very good and creative guess Sylvia. I never even noticed them when I actually took the photo.
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