Warrnambool artists have introduced an antipodean perspective to the city’s Christmas decorations.

As part of the city centre renewal Warrnambool City Council’s tinsel-covered galvanised iron decorations were handed over to 11 F Project artists who were given the challenge of reinventing the traditional decorations.

The results are stunning and in coming weeks the decorations will appear at selected locations around the city centre.

“The ingenuity of the artists will be on show,” Manager City Centre Renewal Tanya Egan said.

“The decorations will bring colour, vitality and intrigue to the city centre.

“There is much more Australian emphasis on the decorations and many have a strong marine theme.

“A big thankyou to the artists who each invested an enormous amount of time into creating what we think is a series of lovely Christmas gifts to the city.”

One of the works by Shelley Knoll-Miller features gum leaves sculpted in aluminium and gumnut flowers made from unravelled rope and recycled aluminium lampshades.

“I like the bell-like quality of the gumnuts, it made me think of the heralding of Christmas – there was something about the announcement of Christmas that appealed,” she said.

The project was funded by Warrnambool City Council.

Artists involved include Julie Poi Kelly, David Higgins, Delia Crabbe, Rachel Peters, Colleen Guiney, Shelley Knoll-Miller, Katherine Gage, Murray Adams, David Higgins and Des and Helen Bunyon.