Toolern Vale blacksmith Dean Lewis is close to finishing The Ghost of Gallipoli, a life-size statue of an Anzac soldier.
Lewis, a blacksmith for more than 30 years, believes the work is valued at between $15,000 and $20,000 and is the result of his respect of military history and a passion for his craft.
“My grandfather served in the Boer War, so in a way it’s honouring his work, and that of other servicemen.”
Lewis hopes the steel creation will attract the interest of a war memorial committee or community group.
He plans to make a series of pieces based on war events such as the Battle of Fromelles and 1917’s charge at Beersheba.
