Samantha Whittingham with ‘Bird House’, Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail at Apple Thief, Batlow. Photo supplied by Apple Thief.
The Apple Thief Cider House will officially become part of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail this month, hosting a special unveiling event on Saturday 20 June in collaboration with the organisers of the sculpture trail and the team behind Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi.
The event will feature a stand-up lunch at the Cider House, bringing together visitors, locals, and supporters to celebrate the installation in the grounds of the Cider House of a new sculpture by acclaimed Sydney artist Samantha Whittingham.
The unveiling of Samantha Whittingham’s sculpture ‘Bird House’ will be led by The Honourable Andrew Bell AC, Chief Justice of New South Wales, who will be visiting Batlow for the occasion. A former Chair of Sculpture by the Sea, Chief Justice Bell is a long-time supporter of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail, with this to be his third visit.
The eent at the Cider House forms part of a Winter Weekend in the Snowy Valleys designed to encourage visitation to support local businesses, and showcase the region as a destination for both cultural and culinary experiences.
Founder and Director of The Apple Thief, David Purcell, said the opportunity to be included in the Sculpture Trail is a significant milestone.
“Becoming part of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail is something we’re incredibly proud of. It adds another layer to the experience here — bringing together art, food, cider and the landscape in a really meaningful way.”
The stand-up lunch format has been designed to be accessible and welcoming, encouraging locals and visitors alike to take part in the celebration while enjoying the Cider House’s food and hospitality offering.
David Handley, the Artistic Director of the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail and Sculpture by the Sea said, “It is great to have The Apple Thief join the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail. We have watched the creation of the new Cider House with great admiration and excitement and from the outset of our planning for the sculpture trail wanted to include The Apple Thief as it is such a great venue run by great people with great cider and food. This marks the first time the Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail has expanded from vineyards into the other great beverages produced in the Snowy Valleys and brings the collection to 65 sculptures by artists from 17 countries at 14 locations across 150km from Tumut to Khancoban.”
The event will take place at The Apple Thief Cider House, 4066 Batlow Road, Batlow, with a stand-up lunch commencing at 1:00pm, followed by the official unveiling of theBird House installation at 2:00pm. The Cider House will remain open to the public throughout the afternoon. The artwork unveiling is free to attend, while tickets for the lunch are available for $66 via Humanitix (https://events.humanitix.com/snowy-valleys-sculpture-trail-lunch) and will feature a roving menu inspired by The Apple Thief Cider House’s seasonal offerings. Other activities as part of the Winter Weekend from 19 – 21 June include free tours of the sculptures in the Sculpture Forest at Pilot Hill at 10 am on 20 June a
s well as 11am Adelong and 10.30am Khancoban on Sunday morning 21 June. The weekend kicks off with a ticketed dinner at Nest Café in Tumbarumba on 19 June.
Samantha Whittingham, ‘Bird House’, Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail at Apple Thief, Batlow. Photo supplied by Apple Thief.
Samantha Whittingham, ‘Bird House’, Snowy Valleys Sculpture Trail at Apple Thief, Batlow. Photo supplied by Apple Thief.