General News
22 May, 2026
Sculptures bring wine pioneers to life
A long-held vision to honour Great Western’s pioneering winemakers has taken striking form in Memorial Park, with the first five timber sculptures now standing proudly in the heart of town.
The sculptures, carved by Gippsland chainsaw sculptor John Brady, mark the first completed stage of the Great Western Future Committee’s sculpture park project, celebrating the men and women who helped establish one of Victoria’s most storied wine regions.
For Bill and Noeline Kilpatrick, the sight of the figures finally in place has been many years in the making.
The idea first emerged around 2010 or 2011, when local winemakers began discussing a way to recognise the pioneers of the Grampians wine industry, particularly those connected with Great Western.
Bill said the concept later drew inspiration from the well-known war memorial sculptures at Lakes Entrance, also carved by Brady.
“We’ve got this cottage down at Lakes Entrance, and along the esplanade this sculptor, John Brady, had done something very similar,” Bill said.
“They’re all to do with World War One — Simpson and his donkey, soldiers, nurses — and we thought, well, this is pretty good. How about we maybe look at the same thing up here?”
What followed was a long journey of community discussion, planning, fundraising and grant applications before the sculptures finally arrived in Great Western.
Noeline said seeing them installed had already changed the feel of the park.
“We think putting those statues in that little park the other day brought it to life,” she said.
The project received a major boost last year when the Great Western Future Committee secured $50,000 through the Victorian Government’s Tiny Towns Fund to help begin the Memorial Park redevelopment, including the sculpture park phase.
Bill said the project had enjoyed strong community support.
“I don’t think we had anybody who wasn’t totally in favour,” he said.
The sculptures form part of a broader vision to make Memorial Park a more attractive and welcoming space for locals, families and travellers passing through Great Western.
Bill said the park was already one of the town’s busiest stopping points, with a steady stream of travellers stopping for a break.
“This is an added attraction,” he said.
“It’s a tourism thing as well.”
Permanent signage is expected to follow, giving visitors more information about the figures and their place in Great Western’s wine history.
For Noeline, the project is another way to help put the town on the map.
“People go to places to see what there is to do,” she said.
“Hopefully all these little things help put it all on the map.”
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