William Ricketts Sanctuary
William Ricketts Sanctuary in Mount Dandenong, with its beautiful sculptures and forest setting, is a magical place to visit.
Located high in the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne lies a very special garden: the William Ricketts Sanctuary. Created by sculptor William Ricketts (1898-1993), the garden is set within virgin forest and features a vast collection of Ricketts’ clay sculptures.
I had not been to the Sanctuary before but had seen many photos of Ricketts’ famous works in magazines and online.
The drive up to the gardens was windy but not arduous and there was plenty of parking space upon arrival. Entry was via a series of relatively steep ramps leading to a modest reception hall.
Once into the garden, I was greeted by two giant Aboriginal Elders who emerged from giant boulders at the entrance.
Mandating that one passes between them, this pair remind the visitor of the sanctity of the property as well as to provide a welcome. The sculptures encourage an exploration of the gardens whilst reminding all of the important mission in Ricketts’ work and promoting a respect for the land.
Once through the entrance a series of paths meander through the garden, providing access to numerous sculptures. Do pay particular attention when walking along those paths however, because it is easy to miss some of the smaller sculptures that might be partially hidden!
Most of Ricketts’ clay works are of Aboriginal people – particularly their faces and hands – intertwined with vegetation and small Australian marsupials such as possums and kangaroos. The works are made of kiln-fired clay and in many cases have been attached to large boulders or stones located on-site. Over time, the moist and cool environment has allowed the sculptures to weather, thus facilitating their integration within the surrounding bush.
Ricketts wanted to express his respect for Aboriginal culture and foster a love of the Australian landscape with visitors via his artworks. Through his artworks, he constantly reminds us of the special relationship that the Aborigines had to the landscape prior to White Settlement and the destruction that was wrought upon them subsequently.
Within the William Ricketts Sanctuary lies Ricketts’ house, as well as his former studios. A video is exhibited in the house which explains Ricketts’ philosophy as well as to document the process by which he created his works. We learn that he moved to Mount Dandenong in the 1930’s when he purchased the 1.6 hectare block that he Christened “Potters’ Sanctuary”.
Word soon spread about the extraordinary sculptures that adorned the Sanctuary and in the 1960’s the State Government of Victoria purchased the land and adjoining blocks for the purposes of creating a public reserve. Ricketts continued to live and work on the property until his death in 1993.
What I most like about William Ricketts’ work is the technical accuracy of his sculptues. His ability to accurately recreate the faces of Australian Aboriginals both young and old is truly amazing. Their poise, their expression and their emotion is conveyed wonderfully. However, it is the way that Ricketts integrated these figures with Australian animals (also beautifully recreated) and the surrounding stonework that make his works unique.
There is a message in Ricketts’ work – to respect the Aboriginal people and their culture. But most importantly, to love and cherish the Australian landscape – our Australian landscape. Ricketts believed that we – the people, the trees, the animals – were all one enormous organism created by God. And therefore we should express our love of God by caring for each other and our landscape. For Ricketts there was an obvious harmony between our Christian faith and the traditional beliefs of the Aborigines.
Ricketts not only argued that Australia’s progress lay in the preservation of our wild environments, but he saw himself as a defender of the aboriginal people. He believed he was enlightened and therefore had to lead the rest of Australian society down the same philosophical path.
Indeed, this is reflected in some of his sculptures where Ricketts is seen in a Christ-like pose on the crucifix beside two Aboriginal elders. According to Langton and David, Ricketts deluded himself into believing he was such a threat to the authorities (like Christ) that he was a potential assassination target for opponents. Of course this delusion was never realised.
Whatever one’s personal reactions to Ricketts’ philisophy or religious views or even his personal paranoia, his works stand out as being unique. His property is a place of quiet reflection and serenity; a uniquely Australian garden of unrivalled tranquillity.
The layout of the William Ricketts Sanctuary, with its winding paths and unique sculptures make for a really nice outing. A good tour of the garden takes approximately two to three hours which allows much time to read the small inscriptions on many of the works. Afterwards, there’s the Churinga Café (former Churinga Tea Rooms) just over the road that can offer a nice lunch or cup of coffee.
William Ricketts Sanctuary is located on Mount Dandenong Tourist Road in Mount Dandenong. Entry costs $6.20 for adults and is open from 10am until 4:30pm daily.
Further Reading:
M. Langton and B. David (2003) William Ricketts Sanctuary, Victoria (Australia): Sculpting Nature and Culture in a Primitivist Theme Park. Journal of Material Culture 8: 145-168
Comments
42 responses to “William Ricketts Sanctuary”
This is lovely. I do like how the sculptures are integrated with the boulders. It seems like a nice place to visit to remind myself of lushness seemingly unaffected by drought, or is that just your photography:)
The William Ricketts Sanctuary really is as green as it appears in these photographs 🙂
Seems like a truly enchanting place to spend some quality time – thanks for the interesting description and superb photos!
I’ve been there as well, on a ‘dreary, drizzly’ day, and felt as though I were in some book of Fairy Tales that was not only lovely, natural, peaceful and unbelievable, but it nearly enveloped me; wrapped me in its arms and made me feel that I, too, was part of the ‘life’ around me. It’s a place and a day that I’ll hold close and dear to my heart forever. God Bless the Aboriginal peoples. And Mr. Ricketts for his love of them and their culture. I wholeheartedly agree with him; they’re as worth preserving as anything in Australia is…..I believe he’s insprired many to remember their plight now that they’ve been displaced and nearly forgotten by modern AU. Sad, but thank God for people like William Ricketts and his mother; and Thank God for the Aboriginal tribes; truly amazing people. I was enchanted by the entirety of Victoria, period.
Finally made it! It is truly a lovely space and indeed it was very lush like the rest of the Dandenongs. His love and respect for our country and the indigenous people is tangible in the works.
I cannot think of any other place that would allow such freedoms to wander near such unique and fragile sculptures.
BTW adult admission was $6.70 today, inflation!
I am glad that you enjoyed your trip to William Ricketts Sanctuary. It really is a wonderful place to visit. I hope you took some lovely photos… feel free to post a link from this blog if you did.
As for the inflation, it looks like I was lucky to visit when I did! 😉
Thanks Adam. Here is a link to the photos I took during my visit. Taken for posterity rather than artistic value 🙂
Too bad i didnt come across this blog before. Great stuff you got here. Thanks.
Sadly, several william Ricketts sculptures were stolen from the Churinga Cafe gardens last week. I hope they can be returned safely as these works are true art& very soothing to the soul
man i think this page is so cool i love the aborigines
Ian said:
Sadly, several william Ricketts sculptures were stolen from the Churinga Cafe gardens last week. I hope they can be returned safely as these works are true art& very soothing to the soul
Comment posted on 13th July 2008 at 11:22 am
These are not the ones currently for sale on Ebay are they??
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/AUSTRALIAN-William-Ricketts-SCULPTURE-ART-Aboriginal_W0QQitemZ120352231708QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_15?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116
No Adam. They will probably never see the light of day again. A lovely bowl shaped piece with aboriginal child’s head which served as a bird bath was stolen from the grounds about 1997, and it has never turned up for sale at any of the usual (legitemate) sources
Visiting from the US, my son (who married a lovely Aust. girl) took me down the Great Ocean Road, the Melbourne Zoo, and then out to the Ricketts Sanctuary. This occurred on my first trip to Australia over 9 years ago. I became enchanted with the place; we have absolutely nothing like it in the US–nothing even close! Since that time, on subsequent visits, he’s taken me back twice–both times I would have preferred more “alone-time” to just sit in the midst of the scultures and the gorgeous plantings…to breathe, think, and be transported for a brief time. This web site is the first one that I’ve seen that acknowledges the cautious passage that one must make through this lovely place, because of the embedded, graceful, carved “beings” that can be so easily missed if one careens through the park. I found myself surprised and delighted over and over as I discovered a carving that I almost passed by without enjoying it. Also, adding to the experience, I felt that the people “manning” the entry point behaved with the courtesy and thoughtfulness that Ricketts attempted to instill in non-aborigines for the native culture. Even when we arrived with my very young, grouchy granddaughter, the “ladies” gave her a cookie and glass of water—-refreshed, she immediately became enchanted and decided that fairies lived in the sanctuary. Who cares what personal failings Ricketts more assuredly had– all artists (and most assuredly, the rest of us) do and weseldom do anything worthwhile with them…Ricketts got old..perhaqps he wasn’t always what we’d like our heroes to be, but he certainly created beautiful and lasting art. Langdon and David need to get to work on something that will outlast them; criticism dies with the critic. Australians should be proud that, as a culture, they embraced the best of Ricketts and the best of themselves…..and left the rest behind.
Hi,
Does anybody know if William Ricketts Sanctuary was affected by the recent bushfires in Victoria? There was another similar property that was completely destroyed.
Thanks, Julie
Hi Julie,
the answer to your question is NO, the fires did’nt go near the Sanctuary, unfortunatly the media were incorrect with their information and said the Dandenong Ranges were on fire, that is not true, so please come and visit the Sanctuary and while you are there call in and visit us for some a lovely lunch or Sunday breakfast,or a Devonshire tea, regards Kerrie
Churinga Cafe Restaurant…Under new Ownership since 21/01/2009
Such a soothing, serene atmosphere. Its so tranquil you feel you’re in a Fairy Tale. Beautiful Aboriginal faces, a truly Australia garden.
I visited with WIlliam Ricketts in 1988-89. He seemed quite frail. However that couldn’t be said of his mind!
I have amateurish photos and am willing to share if you will send me an offline email, maybe we can figure how to use them for the benefit of the sanctuary?
Is the tree structure still there, and in what condition?
Dale
HMMM Nathan…I just can’t help but feel that your comment is somewhat inappropriate !
i have worked with william ricketts in his sanctuary at mt dandenong in 1980 setting up an lpgas pottery klin in his sanctuary. william wanted to try another alternative for firing his kilns. he was a beautiful man with many skills so i learnt alot about william while i worked with him.
I am fortunate to have a William Ricketts sculpture. In 1987 while living in Melbourne, I took my in laws to the sanctuary. William came ambling towards us and my mother in law was somewhat taken aback as he approached her and made to touch her top. I explained to her who he was and we realised that he was rather taken with her top because she had crafted a possum and wildflowers onto it. As we spoke to him, she went off and changed into another top and offered the possum one to him. He was so overcome by her gesture that he told her he would make a sculpture for her. He said that he would make a piccaninny for her and indicated a height of about a metre. We told him that she lived in Western Australia and that delivery would be difficult. He did not make this sculpture, but a more practical football sized one very heavy for its size. He wrote a message to her on a leaf and also wrote telling her it was the most beautiful leaf he could find. The letter also described the meaning of the sculpture. My mother in law retains the letter and from memory the 3 faces depict three Aboriginal spirits. The Earth, The Dreamtime and??Secrecy?? (what Whiteman doesn’t know). 2 of the faces are on either end and face away from each other. The third face is hidden underneath and can only be seen when the sculpture is picked up and turned over, this being the secret part.
I am extremely grateful that my mother in law has given it to us and we get great pleasure from both of their kind gestures.
Churinga was the best cafe for many years in the early 1980s. I just loved Mrs Webster’s scones and pavs there was no cook like Lois. She was the best, the only person at the time to get a 5 scone award in Devonshire teas in the Dandenongs book at the time. These tea rooms we had a lot of happy times in. The Americas Cup win was one of them. Lois and David, thanks for the memories.
I have been visiting the Sanctuary for many years now during annual teaching tours in Australia. It is one of the most beautiful and spiritual places on earth.
I was profoundly touched by the beauty of the fern gully and the serenity of the pathways and the heart touching sentiment of the sculptures.
With over eight visits to the Sanctuary and then being married there (I was married to my husband Ernest the same year that the National Trust took over the management of the Sanctuary)……I was heart sick when the misplaced rumour of the fire damage went through the international press. I had to make a phone call to find out for sure!
What a relief to find out that the Sanctuary was untouched.
I will be back next year and of course I will take the time to visit the William Ricketts Sanctuary, I will walk along the pathways, will make sure to stop at the spot where we were married. After making sure that everything is well I will go across the tea room for some lovely scones and tea!!!!
Judith
I am so sad that we visited Melbourne and did not go here. We will next time.
I am a frequent visitor, as we live nearby. William Ricketts was my friend’s great uncle and I have been able to see several pieces that the family have in their gardens.
I am taking a friend to the sanctuary for her first visit, this weekend. I hope she will be as inspired as I am when we vist.
Visited today and found it very lovely and peaceful. Does anyone know if he ever married or had children? I am trying to find out more about his personal life on line but am finding very little. I know his mother lived with him till she died and his parents were separated but there is little on his later personal life. Does anyone have any info or a source I can refer to? He was a remarkable person.
Anita, you will find all you need in the William Ricketts biography ‘Whitefella Dreaming’ by Peter Brady. An amazing book which also includes pictures of his colourful early figurines, jugs, coffee pots & vases from the 1930’s, prior to the sculpting of the large pieces seen in the Sanctuary today. Never married. Never had children. Seems like he was just too busy realising his vision. However, Ricketts did have many supporters who helped him in various ways during his near sixty year stay at Mt.Dandenong
We also are fortunate to have 2 pieces of this man’s wonderful work, and were also fortunate to meet him on a visit to his sanctuary. We took our pieces with us and he told us that one was made of local clay, the other a more outstanding sculpture, was made by him in the Northern Territory and was fired in a 44 gallon drum inserted in the side of a mountain. The Aborigines referred to him as Brother Billy and this particular piece is engraved thus. He was a truly beautiful soul.
this is cool:P
Please note that Entry to William Rickett’s Sanctuary and all National Parks is now free, this was brought in on the 1st July 2010. This Includes The National Rhododendron Gardens as well.
Thanks Robina,
This was an excellent decision. I never felt it was right nor proper to charge the people of Victoria to enter parks that they’d already paid-for with taxes. Entrance fees simply discouraged the public from visiting our great parks.
A most enchanting place – get some alone time when you are there and soak up the tranquillity,you will come away being more at peace with everything.
The first time I visited was just after the 9/11 World Trade Disaster and it gave me so much peace. We have been back several times when we have had overseas visitors. I am looking forward to another visit in March next year.
I remember going to the Rickett Sanctuary as a primary school excursion during the 80’s and Mr. Rickett took us kids on a guided tour himself. I don’t remember what he spoke about, but I do remember being amazed by his sculptures. That day is still quite vivid in my memory!
Hi Adam,
Thanks for your kind words about the sanctuary, and you have some lovely pictures too! Just wondering if it is possible to change the entry fee details in your original post as your review comes up near the top of Google searches for “William Ricketts Santuary entry fee”, and it’s rather confusing for visitors. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Hi! Adam,
Lovely post and pictures! I am visiting Melbourne and recently visited William Ricketts Sanctuary. I loved every bit of it. They no longer charge any entry fee. I marveled the art as well as his thoughts. Churinga cafe is lovely, of course!
My visit 2014 july, William Ricketts sculpture sadly looseing to poor management last risk assessment 2011,
gardens grow, destruction for the lack general care ,Vic parks answer William wanted natural envirmen, being vic parks turns blind eye over hanging trees, that where seeds 4yrs ago, William Ricketts hired labour to maintain the gardens and overgrowth, at these rate of destruction 20% every 10yrs, what would be left after 100yrs, just indoor sculptures, Vic government blind , with care sculptures last 1000yrs with proper care . not with vic park poor best practice , there aim 20yrs ,lony way short to William Ricketts wish,all to see,and share long after lm gone. note my visit to Alice Spring Pitchi Richi , mostly destroyed exsit some 20 sculpture , 80 gone, how do you think he would feel give the sculpture and the land, try tell me he did not want to share he s art, he gave all, SHAME on goverments its the only Australian sculptures,that we not able to care for.
some one needs to speak out.
Hello, I do not wish to comment, I am just wondering if you have any info on Preferred Image publishing as my letter to them was returned to sender. I have also searched for Peter Brady online with no success. I am writing a theatre/dance production on Bill. And may I ask what this blog is connected to? are you caretakers of the Sanctuary? I havnt been there yet but plan to after September. I am from Nuriootpa. Thankyou. Toby Short 0415204502
Hey
I hope you have a superb weekend.
Ray Ban
We knew Billy from the early 60’s and the lovely people ( Atkinsons) who looked after Billy. We often picked him up and he had dinner at home, his greatest love was a particular cream cheese pancake that my mother used to cook (Hungarian) He said his purpose in life was to save the Aboriginese and the world. At one stage he had an old Bedford truck which he filled up with a whole lot of his works and conned someone to get him to the USSR where he would discuss saving the world, unfortunately he lost all his works to some shifty people and when he had nothing left he called us to arrange fare home. He was such an idealist and trusted everyone and many people took advantage of his kindness. He had no idea of the value of his art work and would charge some people exhorbident amounts for some small piece and the others he would practically give away a nice big piece. He was a wonder ful man and we were lucky enough to have known him almost at the start of his Melbourne life. We last saw him the year before he died when he dedicated some things to our daughter and one of our sons. We can thank Bill Borthwick, my father and Sir Henry Bolte for the permanent Sanctuary that has so many visitors from here and overseas.
A small adition. If you look carefully at some of Billy’s works you will see Billy in the art work.
I could go on forever. When we had our wedding Billy came along wearing his now famous green cap to our formal do and surprised us with one of his artworks and his hand written wishes on a rather large gum leaf. He certainly was a character.