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East Beach Tourist Park has a unique façade which attracts many visitors each year. The striking Macrocapa wood carvings are the work of Eddie Freeman and was commissioned by the late Kenneth Plumstead, the previous park owner. The carvings are the largest privately owned collection of it’s type in Australia.

The Artist – Eddie Freeman

I grew up in the timber industry and trained as a professional chainsaw timber faller. I am now self-employed to pursue my ability as a chainsaw carver.

I am self taught, with my first attempt was a small kangaroo carved in hardwood, nearly 30 years ago. My carving evolved from an American magazine introduced to me by my training officer.​

My artist talent is recognised by my ability to portray a wide variety of sculptures from a simple $30 little Christmas tree to a complex $4,000 bullock team (all out of one piece of timber), or to a even larger scale of a project like Legerwood’s street scene, around $100,000 depending on how much detail needed and the need for a cherry picker etc.

All my timber is salvaged from local farms. I can see the potential of the texture and patterns in the grain of the timbers especially with Macrocarpa Pines and Radiata Pines.

Each limb or stump is different, sometimes I can see an eagle in a forky piece or a certain way the bend fell on the ground, I envisage a mermaid swimming etc. The endless possibilities that I can create even amazes me.  I enjoy the challenge of creating something out of waste timber and with the sheer speed and power of the chainsaw is an extra benefit to be able to put my ideas into the block faster.

People find it hard to believe that it is done with a chainsaw until they see it done in front of them.

I thoroughly enjoy receiving feedback not only from the public spectators and other chainsaw carvers but especially from the amazement and joy on the children’s faces. They just come to life and light up.

The highlight of being a local artist is the broad range of clients that I have and that their tastes differ with each piece is an original and no two pieces are the same.

People don’t have to go to the mainland or overseas to buy quality workmanship.