Peace Cake Sculpture

The Story Behind This Sculpture

The original cake was specially made for the Mayoral Victory Ball held at Maryborough’s Town Hall to celebrate the end of the First World War. The original photograph was taken from SLQ’s collection of the night on April 29, 1919 in Maryborough. The night’s program featured dancing, music provided by a ‘Naval Band’ and a 30 foot model airship suspended from the ceiling. The main attraction however was the ‘Peace Cake’. The Maryborough Chronicle reported its intricate details: “Messrs Stellmach and Sons, the well-known bakers, were commissioned on short notice to prepare a cakeworthy of the occasion, and in fulfilling the order have combined skill and ingenuity, and marked artistic taste, with most pleasing results. The cake stands about 5 feet high (1.5 metres), is approximately 24 inches in diameter (61cms), and weight from three-quarters to one hundredweight (38 to 51kgs).” 

Sculpture Location Map

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About the Artists

 

The principal sculptor Ms Elizabeth Hersey together with colleague Marni Koster completed the replica cake with the help of local cake decorators and sculptors. Every piece has been painstakingly made by hand, right down to each piping replica. Elizabeth conducted extensive research on the original cake to ensure each embellishment and element is historically correct.

Elizabeth specialises in detailed bronze wildlife sculptures, cast in small limited editions.

Marni creates free form and abstract sculptures and has exhibited locally.

Contributors to this Sculpture

The Maryborough Mural Project relies entirely on the generosity of volunteers and sponsors from our local community. The artist’s commission was sponsored by Mayor Chris Loft’s Discretionary Funds. The Committee would like to thank Mrs Jan Carlson, Mrs Tracey Christoffel, Mr Mal Finlayson, Ms Tracey Gray, Ms Bronwyn Mendoza, Mrs Dawn Vanderwolf, Mr Rai Whitten and Mr Mark Williams for their time and expertise in coordinating this sculpture. We would also like to thank Fraser Coast Lace Makers, Mr John Franklin, Ms Jo Miller, Mr Trevor Spohr, Gatakers Artspace, Mayor Chris Loft and the following businesses for their kind and generous sponsorship of this sculpture:

                             

                 

                 

Community Workshops for the Peace Cake

As a part of this project, day-long workshops were held where cake decorators from the community assisted in
making some of the embellishments for the Peace Cake.

The committee would like to thank the following ladies for their contribution:

Barbara Watts

Gay Lynch

Vera Hammond

Lynn Harris

Rebecca Pezzutt

Tammy Martin

Bev Hibbert

Gwen Sypher

Kahla Handley

Maria Turmine

Rosslyn Charteris

Toni Case

Connie Powderham

Jan Withers

Kay King

Mary Rooms

Shae Williams

Johanna Arnold-Stevens

Donna Window

Jo-Anne Farrell

Khalia Williams

Pat Garvin

Simon Haupt