General News
21 July, 2026
Money tree puts down roots at WAMA
AFTER travelling across Victoria, artist Michael Moerkerk’s Money Tree has found its permanent home at WAMA, where it will continue sparking conversations about environmental conservation. Horsham artist Michael Moerkerk celebrated the arrival of his Money Tree at WAMA on July 10 alongside representatives from Greening Australia.
The sculpture was commissioned by Greening Australia and Bank Australia in 2022 to celebrate Greening Australia’s 40th anniversary.
Since then, it has toured across the state, including a display at the State Library of Victoria as part of a national campaign showcasing the value of nature and the environmental cost of its decline.
Greening Australia chief executive Heather Campbell said the organisation was pleased the sculpture had found a permanent home.
“We are so thrilled that the Money Tree is finding its forever home here,” she said.
WAMA exhibitions manager Bryon Grant-Preece thanked Mr Moerkerk for bringing the significant artwork to Halls Gap.
Mr Grant-Preece also acknowledged Greening Australia and Bank Australia for commissioning the sculpture and helping share its message with a wider audience.
Standing three metres tall and weighing 300 kilograms, the Money Tree took more than 400 hours to make and incorporates 70 kilograms of old pennies and half pennies.
Mr Moerkerk is renowned for transforming keys into unique sculptures, including hollow spheres, bowls, bottles, flowers, fish, birds, and larger-scale installations.
His signature technique requires bending and soldering old keys together to create delicate metal forms that allow light to pass through.
The Money Tree joins several of Mr Moerkerk’s works already on display at WAMA, including Sand Goanna and Shearwater. Mr Moerkerk has also donated his separate Cockatoo sculpture, made from retired keys.
WAMA, located at 4000 Ararat-Halls Gap Road, Halls Gap, is open from Thursday to Sunday from 10 am to 4 pm.
Its current exhibition, Entanglements with Fungii, continues until the end of August.
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