Creator of jumbo kookaburra hopes it will help with mental health post-COVID

A giant laughing kookaburra has turned heads as it took to the streets of Brisbane, and its creator says after COVID, we need it more than ever. WATCH THE VIDEO.

A HUGE kookaburra will be nesting in Brisbane for the next couple of months before it migrates to Townsville later this year, visiting regional towns along the way.

The 4.5m-high 750kg bird is the latest work of Bellbowrie sculptor Dr Farvardin Daliri who has a penchant for creating jumbo native animals, putting them on wheels and towing them north.

Last year, he made a 700kg koala which travelled the east coast of Queensland on its way to the Townsville Cultural Festival last August.

Dr Daliri's kooka will tour regional Queenland in late July.

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Dr Daliri said the Townsville festival would go ahead, just differently this year.

“It will be smaller units of performances and activities in different parts of the city,” he said.

“It will be compliant with any form of restriction. We’ll just disperse it rather than having people go to the one place.”

As travel restrictions continue to ease, Dr Daliri hopes to hit the Bruce Hway with his big bird toward the end of July.

“I think we need to have the last laugh after COVID-19 and the kookaburra is going to give it to us,” he said.

The giant kookaburra before it hit the road yesterday.

The cackling kooka will also take part in laughing workshops in the Townsville region, and Dr Daliri hoped she would help people take a lighter look at the challenges of this year.

“The mental health implications post-COVID-19 are severe,” he said.

“This is needed more than ever particularly in regional areas because of the shutdown and social isolation. I hope a laughing kookaburra is going to cheer everyone up.”

The sculpture hasn’t gone unnoticed as she’s taken shape in Dr Daliri’s backyard, and has already caught the eye of several passing parents.

Dr Daliri's 4.5m-high kookaburra as she prepared to make her first public appearance.

“People love it. They want to bring their kids,” he said.

“I don’t want to put the sound effect on all the time, but once in a while, when they ask, I say okay and put it on before it becomes a noise nuisance.”

Yesterday was the kookaburra’s first flight out of the yard to see how her jaw and sound effects would work.

“As big as it is, it has to be light. And it’s aerodynamic because Mother Nature designed it,” he said.

“Peoples’ jaws dropped. They just stared.”

Dr Daliri is also keen to share his creation with other people before she takes flight.

“I’m open to suggestion if there’s a like-minded organisation who wants to have it at their place. It’s something I do for the love of nature and community,” he said.

“I would be very keen to take it to a school.”