It's on again.
The Australian Chainsaw Carving Championships, where 10 talented contestants from all over the world have five days to create an entire sculpture from a single piece of wood.
From
Tuesday 16 to Sunday 21 January 2018, head on up to SkyHigh Mount Dandenong and be amazed as male and female entrants from Australia, Canada, USA, and Japan compete for this year's prize. The competition starts at 9am each day and runs until around 5pm.
The theme for this years competition is 'The Garden', and over the five days the competitors will show off their skills using three different saws provided by STIHL (event sponsors). On the final day, the carvers let loose with a morning of 'speedcarving' where they will carve some smaller sculptures that can be purchased.

Watch the transformation
After this, the
Australian Chainsaw Carving Champion is crowned. Last year's winner,
Rob Bast from Wandin in the Yarra Valley, will again be competing at this, his local competition, so be sure to be there to cheer him on. Rob does carving demonstrations and competes all over the world and is looking forward to competing against some of the world's best chainsaw artists.

But The Man From Snowy River Let The Pony Have His Head

This was 'The Man from Snowy River', 2017's winning entry, by Rob Bast
All proceeds from the sale and auction of the sculptures go to
Beyondblue - creating awareness for conditions such as depression and anxiety.
So, for a great family event during the school holidays, come up and enjoy a day out in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. There is plenty to do at SkyHigh, including admiring the views of the city skyline, getting lost in the hedge maze, playing on the lawns and enjoying a BBQ or lunch at the cafes and bistro. Don't forget to also say hello to Percy at the Possum's House and have a seat in Igor the Giant's Chair.
Did you know you can also bring
bring your dog with you when come to SkyHigh? Enjoy a stroll through the beautiful gardens with your pooch - it really is a great day out for the whole family.

Skilled carvers at work
A gate fee of $6 per car applies, and the Chainsaw Carving Competition is a free event. SkyHigh Mount Dandenong and the Dandenong Ranges are approximately 45 minutes from Melbourne.