BY: Kerry Watson
Appearing like magic just in time for the school holidays, scarecrows pop up in front gardens, shop fronts, mazes and vineyards dotted around the Mornington Peninsula hills.
The scarecrows come in all shapes and sizes and this year they are either traditional or Aussie icon themed art installations made from hay bales, farmyard relics or paper macheโ.
Itโs all part of the fun of the Mornington Peninsula Hinterland Scarecrow Festival and Trail, on from 16 September to 3 October.ย
For a free day out with the kids you can drive around the hills and admire the scarecrows which have evolved into a unique community art form.
You can vote for your favourite and play โSpot the Scarecrowโ interactive game online. The Scarecrow trail map is also available on the mobile friendly website or you can print it off before you leave home from www.scarecrowfestival.org.au
For the first time a special Scarecrow Festival Day will be held on Saturday 1 October at the Red Hill Recreation Reserve from 9am til 3pm, coinciding with the Red Hill market. You can pop in before heading off to see the trail.
Lively country music and hay bales will set the scene for your kids to enjoy free art activities and win some great prizes.ย There will be a Live Scarecrow Competitionโ for your kids to take part in on the day with clothes for dressing up and free face painting on hand to help them.
If you get your kids organised beforehand they can build their own traditional or Aussie icon scarecrow and enter the Childrenโs Scarecrow Competition.ย It just needs to be delivered the night before.
All the competition and event details are on the website. www.scarecrowfestival.org.au
BUILDING YOUR SCARECROW
Scarecrows come in all shapes and sizes. You can build a traditional scarecrow or you can also opt for farm yard art made from materials around your house, a sculpture of paper macheโ or a hay bale scarecrow art installation.
Your scarecrow will sit out in the elements so consider wind and the potential of rain when choosing your materials.
CONSIDER USING A WIDE VARIETY OF MATERIALS
- Frame/Body: wood cross frame, garden stakes, bamboo poles, chicken wire, hay bales, old clothes, 44 gallon drums.
- Stuffing: straw, insulation, paper, old stockings, old clothing or cloths.
HEAD AND FACE
- Plywood, polystyrene, pillow case, old stockings, paper mache, hessian.
- Stuff with straw, soft-toy filling, old stockings
- Mark with textas or paint.
- Print out a picture and laminate a well-known face.
- Cut out the facial features.
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Hair: wig, raffia, straw, wool, strips of fabric, old mop.
HANDS & FEET:
- gloves, socks, old stockings or tights, straw or soft-toy filling.