I recently had the chance to photograph this stunning public sculpture at Montague Bay on Hobart’s eastern shore, something I had intended to do for a long time.

It was installed a couple of years ago to commemorate the Tasman Bridge disaster, which occoured now more than 40 years ago. On a January evening in 1975, a freighter, the Lake Illawarra, was headed to the zinc works located upstream of the bridge. She drifted off-course and collided with pylons on the eastern end of the bridge, bringing them, sections of the roadway above, and several vehicles, down on top of the vessel. Twelve people were killed, including drivers and passengers as well as crew onboard the ship.

Local artists Kelly Eijdenberg and Travis Tiddy of creative agency Poco People were commissioned by the Clarence City Council to commemorate the changes to Hobart’s eastern shore brought about by the disaster. Their website offers an excellent insight into the themes, development and installation of the work as well as more photos, plus an outstanding timelapse of the sculpture by Paul Yonna.