A giant dragon, a lion made out of chicken wire, relics from the lost civilisation of Atlantis and an iconic Australian Hill's Hoist clothesline complete with beach towels are just some of the art works that have transformed an iconic Queensland beach into a 24 hour outdoor gallery.
Artists from New Zealand, Germany, the UK and Australia are among the artists who have travelled thousands of kilometres to exhibit their creations among the sand and surf of the
Gold Coast's Currumbin Beach for the annual Swell Sculpture Festival.
Founded by Natasha Edwards Swell has always been about giving artists exposure and connecting people with their works.
"Every year in September at the start of Spring for ten days everyone gets out of the cold and in to the sunshine, feeling relaxed and chilled and being at one with nature and of course with the sculptures," says Natasha.
There are works from 60 artists mesmerising crowds, along a one-kilometre stretch of the beach.
Artist Ingrid Morley from New South Wales entered her sisal, wood and steel creation called Lost and Found, a powerful portrayal of the turning points in all our lives.
"I suppose being able to come on the site and walk through in an informal way not in a gallery environment is just fantastic."
Lost and Found won the major Swell Sculpture Award with Ingrid taking home $15,000 in prize money.
"I think winning this for me of course it's wonderful to have a bit of money after knocking your head against a brick wall for years and years and years. The success of the work is that people are able to respond to it. That's success."
Swell is an exhibition that can be enjoyed around the clock with sunrise yoga and meditation classes, daytime music performances and twilight tours by curators. After dark the illuminated sculptures take on new lives.
For members of the public like James and Elizabeth, it's a free taste of art and culture in a relaxed environment.
"Art galleries are sometimes few and far between. You can come down and enjoy it, the public enjoys it, it's good," says James.
Elizabeth says: "To see it on the beach it's bringing art and a bit of culture to this part of the coast. It's giving us a different perspective."
Artist Greg Quinton has taken everyday Australian items the beach towel and the Hills Hoist and created You Should Always Know Where Your Towel Is. He has entered works in Swell year after year.
"What could be more Australian than a Hills Hoist really, this was actually dug out of a backyard in Brisbane that had been there for 45-50 years so it's probably seen a few towels," says Greg.
His sculpture was designed specifically with Swell in mind.
Greg says: "How often do you get the chance to put a work of art on the beach in such a fabulous setting, not very often do you? So you have these ideas in your head and generally they stay there but to have an opportunity to put them in place is pretty special I think."
Sculptural artists from the United Kingdom, Germany and New Zealand have contributed to this year's festival.
For Victorian Ben Carroll having his work Relics from Atlantis shown on the shores of one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in the world is a marriage made in artistic heaven, "Because it has been a part of my life for so long I just consider it the norm but it is really nice to be here and watch the continual amazement of all the people that walk up."
Swell Sculpture Festival is currently in its 13th year, and has become Queensland's largest outdoor celebration of art. The festival continues until 20 September.