Marble Masterpiece

Rusconi’s Marble Masterpiece. denisbin/cc by-nd 2.0

The small New South Wales town of Gundagai is mostly known for Frank Rusconi’s “The Dog on the Tuckerbox,” a statue about five miles north of town. The statue is frequented by almost every road tripper who passes through, but few travelers actually venture into the town itself.

Once in town, visitors will discover that Rusconi also created another lesser-known, yet arguably more impressive sculpture: his marble masterpiece. It’s a miniature cathedral comprised of 20,948 pieces of marble.

All 20 varieties of marble were sourced from New South Wales and hand-cut and polished by Rusconi himself. The largest piece of marble is a five-inch tall column, whereas the smallest piece is just over one-tenth of an inch tall. The masterpiece’s total height is just shy of four feet.

Rusconi, who worked on the Marble Masterpiece from 1910 to 1938, served his apprenticeship in Europe and worked in England, France, and Italy before returning home to Australia. The steps at Westminster Abbey are among his most famous work.

Know Before You Go

The Marble Masterpiece is displayed at the Gundagai Tourist Information Centre. The center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., though it's closed for lunch from 12:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. Admission costs $5 per adult, $3 per child, and $10 per family. Discounts apply for pensioners and bus groups.