This year’s prestigious Sculptures in the Garden (SIG) competition, now in its 15th year, received the highest number of entries in its history, reflecting the strength of Australia’s contemporary sculpture scene and the growing national profile of the Mudgee event.

The beloved regional event at Rosby Wines has again brought together artists and audiences from across the country to celebrate everything artistic. Central West artists featured prominently in the list of prize winners.

The distinguished top prize – the $30,000 SIG and Mid-Western Regional Council prize – awarded for the most outstanding large-scale work, went to Vlasé Nikoleski from Charlestown, NSW, for their work ‘Inland Jetty’.

This piece is made of marine-grade stainless steel, reinforced concrete.

The new $2,000 Mudgee Regional Tourism Small Sculpture Prize went to Nigel White from Mudgee, for ‘Ponytail’.

The $10,000 Friends of SIG Prize was awarded to Rhonda Castle, Wyong, for ‘Lania’.

The $10,000 Fernside Pastoral Company Prize was awarded to Alex Scheibner, Rylstone, for ‘The Unfulfilled’.

The $5000 Buchanan Mudgee Hospital Small Sculpture Prize was awarded to Emma Ferris Mudgee, for ‘Twinkling Journey’, which will be displayed as part of the Mudgee Hospital public art collection.

The $2000 Cameron Anderson Architects Prize for Artistic Merit went to Carl and Eden Plaisted, Orange, for ‘Novus’.

The $300 Sculptor’s Society Sensory Sculpture Prize went to Fe Heffernan, Elizabeth Bay, for ‘Touch Words’.

The $500 young sculptor achievement prize went to Keizer Wood, Coonabarabran, for ‘Faith in Bloom’.

This year’s exhibition selection committee included David Handley AM, founder of the iconic Sculpture by the Sea, along with renowned architect and contemporary artist Susan Rothwell AM, journalist and artist Sam Paine, and local Mudgee architect Cameron Anderson.

Founder and curator Kay Norton-Knight said the calibre of work this year exceeded already high expectations.

"We continue to see more creativity and skill, year on year,” she said.

“It’s always a difficult decision for the judging panel, but this year’s entries were so exceptional that it really made their decision difficult.

“Congratulations to the artists taking home a prize and to all participants on a wonderful exhibition.”

Sculptures in the Garden continues to grow as a key event on the Australian arts calendar, attracting thousands of visitors and generating significant cultural and economic value for the Mudgee region. The event wrapped up on October 26.