A RENOWNED ornithologist from the late 1800s and a present day expert gynecologist and a fossilised egg were all involved in the creation of the eye-catching emu standing in a park in Marburg … or so the story goes.
The story comes from the inventive mind of the sculptor of the emu, Barry Gratton.
Barry crafted the story to create some fun around his life-sized bird statue made of recycled materials, which will be auctioned at the forthcoming Black Snake Creek Festival.
The story begins with gynecologist Ms Sparrow who was cleaning out her barn on her family property in Marburg when she discovered a sugar bag containing hand written notes and what appeared to be an egg.
“The notes belonged to Dr Featherstone, a renowned ornithologist in 1891,” he said.
“He lived with local Aboriginal People who showed him an unusual egg.
“Recognising the distinct colours of the Moa, a four toed extinct bird from New Zealand and of the three toed emu from Australia – he believed it must be a cross between the two.
“He theorized that the egg, like coconuts, floated from New Zealand in 1741 and was fertilised in the Moreton Bay mud flats.
“In a surprising twist Ms Sparrow found she was related to Dr Featherstone and she agreed to examine the purple egg using Dr Featherstone’s notes.
“Her findings are yet to be examined and announced.
“In the meantime this sculpture was produced from a copy of the bird using Dr Featherstone’s notes as a guide.”
Barry states that all will be revealed at the Black Snake Creek Festival.
