Local sculptor and tourism boss meet the Queen

OCEAN Grove sculptor Will Wilson and director of Australia’s Great Southern Touring Route Roger Grant received a very special visitor to their stand at the Chelsea Flower Show… the Queen.

Joining forces with Mr Wilson, Mr Grant worked with Flight Centre UK to promote the region, including Geelong, The Bellarine, Great Ocean Road, Grampians and Ballarat, to more than 150,000 visitors who attended the prestigious show.

Mr Wilson has been going to the Chelsea Flower Show for more than 10 years and his bronze wildlife sculptures and bird baths are regarded as being among the best in the world.

The prestigious show is regarded as one of the global horticultural highlights of the year and this is the first time that Great Southern Touring Route has partnered with Mr Wilson to exhibit at the Show.

Mr Grant distributed a dedicated brochure that features Mr Wilson’s sculptures located in the highprofile locations found along the Great Southern Touring Route.

These include sea horses at Waterfront Geelong, pelicans at Barwon Heads, wedge tailed eagles at the You Yangs and even a great apple at the Flying Brick Cider House on the Bellarine Peninsula.

“The combination of great natural settings and the exceptional artistry of Will’s sculptures makes this a compelling proposition to attract further visitors from the UK to our region,” Mr Grant said.

In anticipation of attending the show, Mr Grant wrote a letter to Buckingham Palace to invite Her Majesty the Queen to visit their stand as part of the official royal walk through.

“We were delighted to receive a positive response from Buckingham Palace indicating the Queen will visit Will Wilson’s exhibition stand as part of Her Majesty’s visit to the Flower Show.”

The Royal visit took place on May 20.