There’s nothing particularly interesting about a wall unless, perhaps, you are a builder, an architect or Humpty Dumpty. But what if that wall was 100-metres long by 3-metres tall and intricately carved by hand? Curious? We were.

The Wall in question is just a few kilometres from Derwent River, not the river but a curiously placed lodge and a couple of scattered houses in what could best be described as a remote settlement. Here stands a large black sign with ‘The Wall’ written in an impracticality small font, this is your roadside guide to this curiosity. Not the most eye-catching sign and so easily missed, but to drive on past and miss this extraordinary display would be a travesty. The Premier of Tasmania described the Wall as ‘of world significance’. You see, this Wall is something very, very special.

Watch out for Bugs

Several large metal sculptures depicting native insects have been mounted on posts as you follow the driveway to the Wall, each constructed very creatively from gas cylinders. And right outside an unusually long, windowless timber and corrugated steel building is a large and substantial rusting steel bird of prey keeping guard on what lurks behind these grey unassuming walls.

Prepare to be Gob-smacked

An impressive doorway leads into a stunning reception area with a timber-clad vaulted ceiling and an enormous, steam-punk style, steel fireplace – a work of art in itself. But turn to the left and follow the black arrows on the floor and you’ll be left speechless. Not only is this a huge, beautifully crafted, timber-framed building but leading along the centre of the building is the most incredible 100-metre long series of exquisite panels, hand carved from Huon Pine, depicting the arrival of the Europeans in the Tasmanian Central Highlands all the way through to modern times.

The detail of the carving, the realism of every fold and crease in a piece of leather and the pose of the animals, insects and human characters is beyond belief. Many of the carvings link from panel to panel, some partially complete to show the process, but all carefully lit to give an amazing three-dimensional sense of depth to a panel only centimetres thick.

All together the carved panels, each a metre wide by three-metres tall, create the 100-metre back-to-back centre of this unusually long gallery. It is all the decade long work of the self-taught creative genius Greg Duncan.

Greg, born in Belgrave in Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges, turned his fascination of woodcarving into a full-time career in 1982. Moving to Tasmania in 1994 and running a successful studio south of Hobart for nine years, Greg and his wife Marg, relocated to Derwent Bridge in the Central Highlands in 2003 to fulfil his ambition of creating a large scale work that would eventually be housed in a custom designed gallery and open to the public.

We visited on a cold, showery day and the two handcrafted steel fires were greatly appreciated, not just for the warmth they provided but to admire the skill of their creators.

NO Photography!!

Greg makes it quite clear that photography of the wall is not permitted – you cannot miss the signs! It’s a pity, though, that you cannot share your visit with family and friends but he makes a fair case. He owns the copyright and to make a copy, even just a quick snap, would be disrespectful to ‘the artist’, in Greg’s words. Proceeds from entry tickets are also a source of income – something he truly deserves after 10+ years of hard work.

An on-site cafe and bar provide refreshments and a gift shop selling artworks and other Tasmanian crafts. Check opening times for the gallery as it closes during the winter (June, July and August). Advanced bookings are requested to help control the number of people viewing at any one time. Online bookings receive a small discount.

Tel: + 61 (0)3 6289 1134.
Email: info@thewalltasmania.com.au
Address:
15352 Lyell Hwy
Derwent Bridge
TAS 7140