World’s best chainsaw sculptors on show at Australian Chainsaw Carving Championship at Sky High, Mt Dandenong

BLOKES, get set for some serious chainsaw envy.

Rob Bast, from Seville, east of Melbourne is competing in the Australian Chainsaw Carving

BLOKES, get set for some ­serious chainsaw envy.

Rob Bast, from Seville, east of Melbourne, has not one but 16 of the mincing machines, with the combined grunt ­ensuring the 38-year-old is one of Victoria’s best chainsaw sculptors.

“They don’t all have names,” Rob says of his prized collection.

“But the biggest I call Bertha. She’s got a 126cc motor, which is the size of a small motorbike.”

Bertha and her 15 mates will all make an appearance at the first Australian Chainsaw Carving Championship this weekend at Sky High, Mt Dandenong, ­together with the best chainsaw carvers from Australia and overseas.

Rob has been a full-time chainsaw sculptor since 2009, with his public works of art including a Mary MacKillop in Nagambie, 11 animal sculptures in Healesville Sanctuary and a 3m-high Ned Kelly in Surrey Hills, Melbourne, with many more private commissions and works in galleries.

Rob lives on a hobby farm in Seville and uses his father-in-law’s old fruit packing shed on 4ha in Wandin as his workshop, so he doesn’t disturb the neighbours.

Carving champ

He’s always lived in the area, having grown up in Monbulk, where his artistic inclination first showed itself sculpting in art class at school.

He prefers to carve in cypress pine, but recently completed a 3.5m southern right whale in ­Apollo Bay in spotted gum. Red gum and blackwood are also ideal materials.

And only once has he ­injured himself.

“That was cutting down a tree for a mate. It was one little slip when I was tired and it ended up with 16 ­stitches in my finger. I tell people now I carve them up, I don’t cut them down.”