For many Aussies, building sandcastles is a nostalgic pastime from family beach holidays – but for a few incredibly talented sculptors, it’s a lifelong passion. And rightly so! Last weekend (April 5 and 6), the nation’s best sand artists gathered at Frankston Foreshore in Victoria for the 2025 Australian Sand Sculpting Championships – the biggest (and only) event of its kind across the country. Spectators watched on as the artists transformed 300 tonnes of sand into 13 jaw-dropping, life-sized creations inspired by this year’s theme, “The Villains of Storytime”. Champions were crowned in both the Australian solo and doubles divisions – and you can take a peek at their masterpieces below.
From Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde to the Big Bad Wolf and Captain Hook, this year’s showdown saw nine sand sculptors compete for the solo prize and four teams go head-to-head in the doubles division. Judges scored each masterpiece based on skillset, form, difficulty and creativity, with the winning sculptures below.
Australian Solo Champion winner: ‘Screech of the Sea’ by Meg Murray (TAS)
Australian Doubles Champion: ‘Angel vs Demon’ by Jino R van Bruinessen (NSW) and Kevin Crawford (WA)
Doubles entrant: 'Skadoosh' by Yves Geradts (TAS) and Meg Murray (TAS)
Solo entrant: 'The Joker' by Peter Redmond (VIC)
Solo entrant: 'Mirror Mirror' by Yves Geradts (TAS)
Doubles entrant: 'The Triumph of Mt Olympus' by Peter Papamanolis (QLD) and Leo Vamvalis (VIC)
You can check out these incredible sand sculptures at Frankston Foreshore from Saturday, April 5 to Sunday, April 27. The family-friendly event also features workshops, speed carving demonstrations, and the Sandsational Easter Egg Hunt over the Easter weekend. Plus, for its 25th milestone event, the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships have unveiled a brand-new Sand Museum, showcasing the fascinating history of sand sculpting Down Under. You can find out more here.