Garden Sculptures

Father and son, Ron and Brad Edwards, have come back to the south west after a long and busy life working in the mining industry which has seen them working around the world.

Their involvement with mining consisted mainly of supplying and building processing plants for tin, tantalite, gold and diamonds.

Whilst working in and around South Africa they formed firstly a friendship then a partnership, with ‘Richard’ (Taaafi), a talented metal worker who produces garden sculptures of animals using mild steel.

Since their involvement with Richard, importing his sculptures into Australia, Richard’s own business has grown and he now employs around thirteen locals from his village. This partnership is generating not only wealth for his community but is fostering skills with metal fabrication within the village.

Ron Edwards talks about this venture, “The metal animal sculptures are very impressive, we have an elephant and rhinoceros which face out from our business on the corner of Roe Street and Bunbury Street, near the Primary school, which always has heads turning.

“The business has now been opened for eight months and we are really happy with its success.

“Richard makes any animal to order, and we have a lot on order; kangaroos, frill neck lizards and emus are very popular. The metal can be left in its raw state with an ever-growing patina or it can sealed.

“The other part of the business is collectables, which we gather from garage sales and farm clearances: it’s the stuff some farmers have stored in their sheds over the years, equipment and tools which had become superseded over time but was considered too good to be thrown out and was therefore was stored. These items have now become wonderous and ‘must haves’ to a whole new generation, and with the demand, some items have become very valuable.”

Brad Edwards goes onto explain, “The business is where Bridgetown Landscaping once was. We have plans to grow and expand the business, the property goes from Bunbury Street right through to Rose Street on the southern side.

“We are currently housing Warren Bus Service buses; plans are underway to make a new parking area near the Rose Street entrance.

“The bus shed will then become a new display area for the collectables.

“The goods we have are a mixture of delightful items for the garden and a growing assortment of Collectables.

“Enamelled cast iron cooking pots, old signs, film cases, it’s a collection which just needs to be seen to be believed.

“We have been growing the business by attending local shows, markets and events like the Blues to showcase our wares.

“Setting the business up in Bridgetown gave us a feeling like we were coming home: Ron went to high school in Denmark, I also visited Bridgetown in my youth for experience in a horticultural coarse I was completing and I’d liked living in Bridgetown.”

This is a new business venture which can only be good for the town.