tyre-swan-o-rama

Made by Dorelle and James

2011-11-24T17:24:00.002+11:00

Dorelle sent us this photo of a tyre swan James made recently. It is very beautiful and elaborate.

Trentham beauty

2011-11-24T17:24:00.001+11:00

Marc discovered this grazing beauty in Trentham, Central Victoria.

The Rylstone Tyre swan show

2011-04-08T20:57:00.002+10:00

Round up of the Rylstone Tyre show with swan making tutorial (video)

very serious tyre swan making

2011-04-08T20:54:00.004+10:00

the most serious tyre swan making I could have imagined.

Not just an Australian phenomenon?

2009-04-23T17:19:00.004+10:00

This extract of an interview by Tim Milfull with Adam Elliot (Max & Mary film) sheds a little mysterious light on the history of the tyre swan.

TM: It’s quite extraordinary watching the opening sequences—you chose a lot of iconic images of Australian suburbia that are so beautifully rendered.

AE: Look, I really wanted to get all that stuff in, and there was the danger of it becoming a big cliché, which is why we didn’t have kangaroos jumping down the street. But there was a koala letterbox, and a tyre swan, and I thought they were very Australian. But I actually found out showing the film at Sundance and in Germany that they all said, “Ah, yes, very German suburbia.” I said, “Really?” And the Americans said, “Oh, yes. We have tyre swans too, and totem tennis poles .”

Tyre Swan in art, Victor Gordon 2005

2009-04-23T17:08:00.004+10:00

Hope you don't mind Victor. Check link for more images.

Precious Tyre Swan

2009-04-23T16:55:00.003+10:00

Victoria Mason has made a beautiful necklace based on a tyre swan.

Tyre Swan, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, 1990

2009-04-23T16:29:00.005+10:00

Tyre Swan in the collection of the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney NSW. Formerly of a lawn in St Marys, Sydney. I can't get a picture for this blog, so you'll have to follow the link. It's very beautiful. Thank you Mr & Mrs Johnson.

Yarrawonga, Vic, 2008

2009-03-24T17:43:00.003+11:00

Photo sent by Karen on holiday at Ski land in Yarrawonga.

Floriade, Canberra, 2004

2009-03-24T16:36:00.002+11:00

The Canberra Times
Plenty of rubbernecking as crowds fail to tyre of 1970s-era swans
By David Seale
Thursday, 14 October 2004

There was plenty of rubbernecking yesterday at Floriade as a 100-strong flock of black Australian native swans nestled on the grounds of Commonwealth Park.
The birds were of the kitsch 1970s variety, made from old cross-ply tyres, and they roused plenty of interest and fond memories.

Burra resident Greg Hedger, who responded to a request put out on ABC Radio's Gardening Show in February, was the man responsible for repatriating the landscape with the once-popular garden ornaments....

Mr Hedger said each swan took about an hour to fashion - once he had the design sorted - plus a bit of time for painting. The tyres were heated by engine exhaust or in a glasshouse so the rubber was easier to cut and twist inside out.

The tyres were sourced from a company in Melbourne, which was believed to have held a stockpile for use as swings. While the steel belting in a modern radial tyre is good for motorists, it does not wear safely in children's swingsets. Neither is it suitable for swan sculpting, because it's too difficult to slice.

Sizes ranged from 12- and 13-inch car tyres to truck tyres. Mr Hedger's offerings have been planted with a new variety of pansy, named Waterfall.

After the festival, Mr Hedger intends to take the swans under his wing. While the Floriade examples are under offer - Mr Hedger's wife has her name on two - he'll take up the slack afterwards. He's already had orders from ladies in Burra and Orange and a school in Armidale. He had no idea what the swans would sell for, but would probably charge less than $100 apiece

Silverton, NSW 2009

2009-03-22T14:55:00.004+11:00

Jeni writes that this tyre swan is in... Silverton (just outside Broken Hill) where I photographed him hanging out on the fence between Peter Browne's & John Dynon's Art Galleries

another how-to

2006-09-28T18:32:00.002+10:00

Skinny Tim tells you how
He also gives you a how-to guide to be very cool, 50's & 60's style.

cultural significance

2006-09-26T18:09:00.001+10:00

‘Who is to say that a clipped box hedge has a higher purpose than a tyre swan?’ Peter Watts rhetorically asks.

tyre-swan-o-rama

2006-09-26T14:38:00.000+10:00

tyre-swan-o-rama

the Centre for the Protection of Tyre Swans would like to endorse this site. Congratulations.

Sabrina, Ballarat, 2006

2006-09-24T17:41:00.001+10:00

Sabrina was made in response to a desperate request from John. She was given as a gift to his friend in Ballarat. Her Ballarat name is unknown.

year: 2006
current location: a garden in Ballarat VIC
tyre: vespa