Middleton Art Project
THE WHALE IN THE TREE
A tree fell. A community came together. A whale emerged.
Thousands of people stop at Basham Beach each year to photograph Buttons and Bobby, Middleton’s magnificent Southern Right Whale sculptures.
But few know the remarkable story behind them.
The Whale in the Tree is a 40-minute community documentary telling the true story of an ancient red gum, internationally acclaimed South Australian sculptor Silvio Apponyi OAM, and the Middleton community that turned an extraordinary idea into one of our most loved landmarks.
WATCH THE FULL DOCUMENTARY
The Middleton Community Association is delighted to make The Whale in the Tree available to watch free online.
THE STORY OF BUTTONS AND BOBBY
When an ancient red gum fell at Middleton, few could have imagined what it would eventually become.
From the timber emerged two magnificent Southern Right Whales — a mother and calf affectionately named Buttons and Bobby.
Created by internationally acclaimed sculptor Silvio Apponyi OAM, the sculptures celebrate Middleton’s close connection with the Southern Right Whales that visit the waters of Encounter Bay each winter.
Their creation became a true community project, bringing together an extraordinary group of volunteers, supporters and local people determined to turn a fallen tree into something remarkable.
Today, Buttons and Bobby overlook Basham Beach and have become one of Middleton’s most photographed and loved landmarks.
A COMMUNITY STORY, PRESERVED ON FILM
The Whale in the Tree documentary was created as a volunteer project for the Middleton Community Association.
Through interviews, photographs and the memories of those involved, the film preserves the story of how an ambitious idea became a much-loved piece of South Australian public art.
It is a story about creativity, determination and what can happen when a community comes together.
HELP US SUPPORT MIDDLETON
We’d love your help to share Middleton’s story with the world.
By watching The Whale in the Tree on YouTube, subscribing to our channel, liking the documentary and sharing it with family and friends, you are helping the Middleton Community Association build its online audience.
Our goal is to qualify for YouTube monetisation, with every dollar earned through the documentary going back into Middleton Community Association community projects.
WATCH. SUBSCRIBE. SHARE.
And help us take the story of the Whale in the Tree from Middleton to the world.