On Tuesday, 15 March a group gathered just outside Condobolin to officially welcome ‘Wandering’ by Southern Highlands sculptor David Ball, to the Sculpture Down the Lachlan Trail.
‘Wandering’ is located 6.5 kilometres from Condobolin along the Lachlan Valley Way towards Forbes.
“It’s about the viewer walking through it, walking around it, and experiencing what it does for them. For some people it may mean a lot, for others it may mean nothing at all,” Mr Ball explained.
Lachlan Shire Mayor John Medcalf OAM, Lachlan Shire Acting General Manager Jon Shillito and Councillor Dennis Brady attended the event.
“The residents of Lachlan Shire are very pleased to accept the Wandering sculpture into our community,” Mr Medcalf explained.
“It is fantastic that Lachlan Shire has been able to partner with the Forbes Art Society and Forbes Shire Council to develop the ever-evolving Sculpture Down the Lachlan Trail. Stretching from Condobolin to Forbes, the trail provides an opportunity to tell community stories in a creative form and has already delivered significant benefits for our communities.
“Unique projects like this just don’t happen, and I would also like to thank the other partners such as the State Government and Evolution Mining who have made significant financial contributions to this initiative.”
Unlike the other sculptures that feature along the SDL trail, Wandering does not have a narrative. While the abstract piece was made in reference to the picturesque landscape in which it sits, it invites the viewer to create a narrative for themselves.
“You can see this sculpture like a piece of music – it’s suggestive,” David stated.
“It’s about the viewer walking through it, walking around it, and experiencing what it does for them. For some people it may mean a lot, for others it may mean nothing at all.
“For me personally, I see it as being about the geology of the area – the curving lines are of the life that surrounds the river. I’d like to think that it connects well with where it is, and hopefully viewers can see it in harmony or co-existence with the landscape.”
Wandering is the largest commission of David’s career to-date. The sculpture comprises of four pieces, each taking six to eight weeks to construct. Combined, the piece weighs 18 tonne and is made of 100 sheets of corten steel.
“Working in the broad landscape, you have to work on a scale that it demands,” David added.
Forbes Arts Society Chairperson Trudy Mallick said one of the benefits of exhibiting art in this way is that it exposes new audiences to Australian sculpture.
“The beauty of this trail is that we are seeing people engage with art that wouldn’t typically. Even more so, it’s been wonderful to see the farming communities of Forbes and Condobolin embrace the SDL concept wholeheartedly and become sculpture ambassadors,” she revealed.
The Sculpture Down the Lachlan extension is part of the $7.2 million ‘Boosting the Lachlan Valley Economy Art Project’, funded by the NSW Government’s Restart NSW program through the Regional Growth, Environment and Tourism Development Fund, the Forbes Arts Society (FAS), Forbes Shire Council (FSC), Lachlan Shire Council and Evolution Mining.
The Hon Sam Farraway MLC said the unveiling of the new sculpture on the Lachlan trail would provide onlookers with a unique experience, while adding to the region’s growing reputation as an arts and cultural destination.
“The ‘Wandering’ sculpture is a fantastic addition to the Lachlan trail, providing visitors with the unique experience of being able to judge for themselves the meaning of the artwork, and I urge locals and visitors alike to take in this new addition for themselves,” he articulated.

Lachlan Shire Mayor John Medcalf OAM with Sculptor David Ball at the ‘Wandering’ sculpture, that is part of the part of the Sculpture Down the Lachlan Trail. Image Credit: Lachlan Shire – The Heart of NSW Facebook Page.

Forbes Arts Society Chairperson Trudy Mallick, sculptor David Ball, Lachlan Shire Mayor Cr John Medcalf unveil the plaque for ‘Wandering’. Image Credit: Forbes Art Society.