Replacement to Geraldton’s exploded Horizon sculpture to be installed later this year

A replacement to Geraldton’s Horizon sculpture has been ordered six months on from the orb’s spontaneous collapse but it is not yet known when it will be installed.

Locals were quick to point fingers when photos emerged of the shattered sphere on December 4 but police later determined hot weather and an existing structural weakness caused by past vandalism contributed to the collapse.

There was talk of replacing the sculpture with a different piece of public art, or a smaller ball that was ready for shipping from Sydney. The piece would cost about $100,00 — the same price of the original sculpture — but installing the smaller sculpture would require additional earthworks at the Beresford Foreshore site.

Council ultimately decided to buy an exact replica of the sculpture because of Horizon’s popularity with locals and tourists but the cost of this piece has not been revealed.

City of Greater Geraldton mayor Shane Van Styn said the replacement was on its way but could not confirm when it would take its place on the Beresford Foreshore.

“We are pleased to confirm that the City recently placed an order for a replica Horizon sculpture from artist Lucy Humphrey, to replace the one that unfortunately failed at the end of last year,” he said.

“The replica piece is currently in fabrication and we look forward to adding the popular sculpture back to Beresford Foreshore later this year.”

Horizon was installed in 2019 and has since become a popular photo spot and tourist attraction. The City last year spent $8000 to repair cracks that had appeared on the 1.5m acrylic sphere, which held 1800 litres of water.