A series of wildlife paintings that have greeted travellers at Hobart Airport for the past year is going under the hammer, with all the money going to a Tasmanian wildlife sanctuary.
The five works by Hobart artist Natalia Bennett feature some of the state’s most at-risk animals.
They are the spotted-tailed quoll, masked owl, swift parrot, Tasmanian devil and wedge-tailed eagle.
They are all species regularly hit by cars on Tasmanian roads.
The paintings were made for the Slow Down for Wildlife campaign, which urges drivers to ease off the accelerator and watch for animals.
Each is an acrylic on ply, professionally framed and about a metre wide. Bidding opens at $1,800 a piece.
Hobart Airport has promised to match whatever the auction raises, up to $10,000.
Bennett said she wanted the works to make people stop and look.
“These artworks were created to help people pause, notice and care about the wildlife we share this island with,” she said.
“Tasmania’s animals are extraordinary, but they are also incredibly vulnerable, especially on our roads.”
The money will go to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, whose rescue line takes about 20,000 calls a year. That number is still rising.
Bonorong chief executive Matt Clement said almost three in four fatal incidents involving Tasmanian wildlife happened on roads.
“Wallabies and possums account for the significant majority of animals killed or injured on our roads each and every day,” Clement said.
He said endangered animals were especially at risk because they fed on roadkill left along the verge.
“Natalia’s artwork … helps to shine a light on these beautiful creatures, many of which are found nowhere else on planet Earth.”
Hobart Airport chief operating officer Matt Cocker said thousands of travellers had stopped to look at the paintings over the past year.
The cash will help Bonorong rescue, treat and rehabilitate injured and orphaned animals before releasing them back into the wild.
The online auction runs from June 12 to June 22.
