Rocky Point Retreat in Winfield is taking shape with new, giant wood carving creations featured at the campground.
The work was recently completed by Ken Magri, a chainsaw carver from Gympie, after owners Darren and Kati Rasmussen discovered his talent when he was a guest at their site.
“Ken was staying at the campground and told me he could do some carving,” Darren said.
“We had a look at some of his previous work and then we commissioned him to do the entry sign and then some other lane signs on the way in.
“Ken started about six weeks ago and we are up to six carvings now.”
The couple said the unique carvings had already been gaining in popularity with park visitors taking advantage of the artwork for their holiday happy snaps.
Ken has been practicing chainsaw art for the past 20 years and has worked on both large and small scale projects.
“I’m self-taught and have been doing this for twenty years after picking up a chainsaw to cut through ironbark and it has grown from there,” he said.
“I love it because you get to see the artwork happen before your eyes quite fast.
“I love creating large pieces of art that are more impressive.”
Ken is now working on his last piece for the retreat, which, according to owner Kati, has a special meaning and is set to become a key attraction within the campground.
“Ken is currently working on a mermaid as I have always loved the ocean,” she said.
“We always wanted a feature that would stand out and something a bit special.
“We’re not really sure of its exact location yet but it is going to be somewhere where the guests can see it and my plan is to maybe dress her up for different occasions as a bit of fun.”
You can view more of Ken’s artwork on Facebook.
About Rocky Point Retreat
Rocky Point Retreat has been running for the past four years, owned and operated by couple Darren and Kati Rasmussen.
“Rocky Point Retreat is a campground and we are for self-contained campers and people who love fishing in Baffle Creek – that is our main customer base,” Darren said.
“The fishing is well known in Baffle Creek and as far as the campground goes it is quiet, large in size and spread out which gives people plenty of room to move about.”
The couple have seen their customer base grow over the years, with that growth continuing post-COVID.
“We have only been running for a small amount of time as far as campgrounds go in the district,” Darren said.
“We see about 10 to 15% growth per year and generally we have 20 to 30 caravans in every night, although currently with school holidays we are seeing a few more.
“The retreat is really starting to gain traction for us.”
You can find out more about Rocky Point Retreat here.
