Platypus
As part of the AquaSculpture09 event, an artwork was created by year one students at Hastings Public School with artist in residence Jenny Hooper.  This project was a partnership between Hastings Public School and staff from Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.

The project was conducted over six sessions at Hastings Public School.  Kim Freeman, Projects Officer from Council’s Water & Natural Resources Section gave a presentation from The Hastings Platypus Awareness & Conservation Team (PACT).  Inspired by these images and information, the children began work on their sculpture.  Each of the children made drawings of a platypus.  The drawings were transferred to wood, cut out and the children painted and arranged their individual pieces to form the sculpture under the guidance of artist Jenny Hooper.  Jenny Hutchison, Project Officer for AquaSculpture09 and teacher Liza Fieldsend assisted with the project as aides.

The children of Class 1F at Hastings Public School also wrote a poem Platypus to use as their artists’ statement accompanying the sculpture:

Platypus, platypus where do you live?
In the fresh water of rivers and creeks,
I am very hard to see.

Platypus, platypus what do you eat?
Yabbies, worms and water bugs.
I grind them with my bill.

Platypus, platypus what do you look like?
I have warm brown fur that is waterproof,
I have a wide rubbery duck bill,
I have a broad flat tail to help me swim,
I have webbed feet and strong claws,
I have slits for ears above my eyes,
And no one else looks like me.

Platypus, platypus where do you sleep?
In a burrow near the water,
I share with other platypus.

Platypus, platypus what do you fear?
Yabby nets, man, rubbish and pollution,
I need my home to be safe and clean.