Mark Le Buse sculptures returned to Two Rocks

A COLLECTION of Mark Le Buse sculptures has returned to Two Rocks as a development moves forward at its second home in Yanchep.

Le Buse originally created the 12 celebrity head sculptures – which include Marilyn Monroe, The Beatles, Alan Bond and Disney characters-– for the former Atlantis Marine Park.

Acumen Development Solutsion principal Jarrod Rendell said the City of Wanneroo had fully endorsed and helped co-ordinate the relocation on April 26 and 27.

Mr Rendell said they moved the 12 sculptures from the former Club Capricorn Resort entry gardens to a position in Charnwood Reserve chosen by the City.

He said returning the sculptures to their “birthplace in Two Rocks” was “what the vast majority of residents wanted”.

“The sculptures originally formed part of the ‘Clock’ that featured in Atlantis Marine Park,” he said.

The City’s community and place director Debbie Terelinck said the park was chosen because it was close to the sculptures’ original location.

“The new site is adjacent to the Phil Renkin Recreation Centre and Yanchep Two Rocks Library, which is a focal point for the local community,” she said.

“This position also provides a large enough site for the 12 statues to be located together.

“The statues are now on a publicly accessible site for locals and tourists to enjoy.

“The cost of relocating the statues was shared between the City of Wanneroo and Acumen.”

Ms Terelinck said while the statues were not listed in the City’s Local Heritage Survey 2016, they were part of its public art collection.

“Signage will be created to explain the history of the statues,” she said.

“The statues were sculpted for Atlantis and following its closure in 1990, the 12 sculptures were moved to Club Capricorn in Yanchep.”

At the Two Rocks Yanchep Residents Association meeting on April 24, members raised concerns that the statues might be a target for vandals.

However, councillor Linda Aitken said they would be in an area a lot of people would visit, rather than remaining behind fences on private property.

“At least they are in an area to be observed,” she said.

There was graffiti on the statues before the move, which Ms Terelinck said would be removed.

The move allows the Capricorn estate developers to proceed with redevelopment plans for the former resort site, which may include a short stay tourism facility, beachfront restaurants and coffee shops as well as coastal residential lots.