Whimsical sand sculptures of real and imagined sea creatures have risen from the deep as part of the 2013 Sand Sculpting Exhibition currently taking place in Melbourne.  On display until the 28^th of April, “Under the Sea” features a submerged world of breathtaking beauty and foreboding brought to “life” in meticulous detail by Sand Sculpting Australia’s team of International and Australian sculptors

Using 3,500 tonnes of sand, twenty-one talented artisans from around the globe have created a world where reality and fantasy combine in massive sand sculptures that will delight and enthral visitors of all ages. Sculptures of mermaids, sea witches, Poseidon, and Atlantis will stand alongside whales, submarines, sharks, and a coral reef. One of the most popular sculptures is sure to be the enormous coral reef complete with reef creatures of all kinds.

A highlight of the exhibition is the sculpture dedicated to the work of Graeme Base, one of the world's leading creators of picture books. The sculpture was influenced by Graeme’s book “The Sign of the Seahorse”.  Graeme visited the Frankston Waterfront to inspect the sculpture and meet US sculptor Brad Goll, who is bringing his book to “life” for the 100,000 visitors expected to view it.

Other highlights include the sculpture of Atlantis by Sandis Kondis and Sue McGrew, the Seaport Village carved by Jino van Bruinessen and Peter Redmond, and the foreboding bust of Poseidon by Martijn Rijerse and Hanneke Supply.

Sandsculpting Australia is run by Sandstorm Events and is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.  The Frankston event will be on display until April 28, 2013 at the Frankston Waterfront in Frankston, Victoria.  For more information visit the Sandstorm Events website here.

To see images of the amazing sculptures click the slideshow