Local designer and illustrator Leon Hendroff has created one of two feature lanterns ” a puppet called Wattle Baby ” for the parade’s Imagining Australia: Larger than Life theme.
‘We thought of the idea of taking a small flower such as the wattle, which is also Australia’s floral emblem, and bringing it to life as a supersized creature,’ Hendroff, who has had a passion for puppetry since childhood, said.
He said there were about 3600 individually hand-cut and tied flower petals on the lantern.
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READ NOW‘I started working on the puppet with my parents Dave and Susan at the start of February, so it has taken around four or five weeks to produce the finished product,’ he said.
‘I’m so excited and can’t wait for March 29. It will be the culmination of all the hard work that has gone into lifting it off the work table and bringing it to life.’
Artist Bec Massey has also created a shark feature lantern.
Joondalup Mayor Troy Pickard said the lantern parade was a spectacular way to launch the 2014 festival.
‘Three large-scale signature lanterns from last year’s parade will be brought to life by volunteers and will undoubtedly prove popular with visitors and spectators this year,’ he said.
Watch the parade along Grand Boulevard and Boas Avenue.