But thanks to an innovative art project, visitors to Fun4Kids can experience our marine wonderland. 

Oceanarium will bring the rock pools, creatures of the deep and a collaborative video montage of the south-west coastline indoors at the Warrnambool Art Gallery during the festival.  

Fun4Kids activities and workshops program manager Bec Elmes said it was an exciting project which has attracted $66,000 in federal government funding and $10,000 from the state government. 

She said four local artists would work on individual projects which will be brought together to create the indoor ocean experience. 

“The lead artist Becky Nevin Berger will recreate the rock pools, Karen Richards is working on a deep ocean experience using iridescent embroidery that will light up when children walk through with head torches on,” Ms Elmes said. 

“Colleen Hughson is working on a video montage of the coast which will include contributed footage and captured during workshops with schools and the community.

“It’s a really exciting project that has been two years in the making.” 

She said the project was a perfect fit for the festival because it was interactive and engaged with the wider community. 

Ms Nevin Berger said her sculptures would use a mixture of mediums to mimic the rock pools. 

“The rock pool structures themselves will mostly be timber, but there will be lights, sounds and different fabrics to re-create different textures,” she said. 

“It’s really exciting. For four local artists to be involved in a local project which has attracted significant funding, (it) is a great thrill.” 

Ms Nevin Berger said people could contribute footage to the video project until the end of March. 

Video should be between 30 and 60 seconds in length, but longer or shorter videos will be accepted.

Details on how to submit footage can be found on the city council’s website. A limited number of USB sticks will be available from March 7 for people wanting to submit several clips or large files.