The Naked Truth about Lake Ballard in Western Australia

“Lake” isn’t an accurate description of Lake Ballard in Western Australia. They say there’s water in it, somewhere in the far distance. But the shoreline where I stood was a long expanse of caked red mud that morphed into brilliant white salt flats at the horizon. Where red met white, a cone shaped island rose. Surrounding the island and stretching out into the dry lakebed as far as I could see stood the Lake Ballard sculptures, a permanent installation of 51 contemporary metal figures of naked men, women, and children.

Titled Inside Australia, the installation covers four square miles of the lakebed, making it the largest outdoor gallery on earth. It emerged from the imagination of Antony Gormley, an internationally renowned artist who has created such famous pieces as Angel of the North, a 32-foot high androgenous figure with wings as wide as a Jumbo jet, which overlooks the A1 motorway in Gateshead, northern England. Gormley’s early works focused on the surfaces and structure of objects, but before long he turned his attention to investigating the human body as a space. In an attempt to discover how to make bodies into vessels that both contain and occupy space, he created plaster molds of his own body, which he then encased in lead. According to Gormley, “The early three-piece lead works are the first works in which I used my own body. I was trying to map out the phenomenology of the body and to find a new way of evoking it as being less a thing, more a place; a site of transformation, and an axis of physical and spatial experience.”

“I was trying to map out the phenomenology of the body and to find a new way of evoking it as being less a thing, more a place; a site of transformation, and an axis of physical and spatial experience.”

Sir Antony Mark David Gormley

The Lake Ballard sculptures take examination of the human body to the extreme. Somehow, he convinced 51 residents of Menzies (population 108) to strip naked and allow their bodies to be digitally reproduced. Gormley then cast the figures in a metallic alloy formed of 51 elements, including iron, molybdenum, iridium, vanadium and titanium. While the residents of Menzies were initially skeptical (and a bit suspicious) when Gormley showed up with his full-body scanning machine, today they take great pride in having served as models for the sculptures. 

I climbed over the wire fence and walked out to the nearest figure. I was so focused on reaching the sculpture that I wasn’t paying attention to my footing. Suddenly, my right foot broke through the crusty surface to a squishy layer of red mud. My foot slid out from beneath me. I went down on my right knee and then on my bum. My phone flew out of my hand and landed face down, thankfully undamaged. I picked myself up and did my best to brush off the red clay clinging to my pants. After that I stuck to beaten-down paths between the figures that have been compacted by visitors over the years.

I examined a dozen or more of the sculptures. They were at once whimsical and otherworldly, like naked humanoids with long breasts and genitalia in the shape of spear tips and arrows. The robin’s egg blue sky, red earth, and green scrub vegetation made for some very striking photos. Beyond the lone hill the earth was covered by salt flats, topped with a a thin layer of seeping water. Each step crunched through the brittle salt layer, allowing mud to squish up around my sneakers. I walked gingerly, trying to avoid taking another tumble, and managed to visit several figures anchored in the blinding white landscape before turning back.

As I made my way back to shore I began to notice subtle differences in the sculptures. It was clear which were male and which were female, but beyond gender I realized that some were short while others were tall. Some were stoop-shouldered and others had pot bellies. Some were pencil thin…others on the chubby side. It was obvious that each represented a different Menzies resident. My only question was, do each of the models know which sculpture represents them?

How to get to Lake Ballard

The lake is located about an hour and 20 minutes north of the town of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, in the famous goldfields of Western Australia. The best way to get there is to rent a private car. From Kalgoorlie-Boulder, drive north (about an hour) to the town of Menzies, then follow the signs to Lake Ballard, located about 20 minutes northwest of town. The town of Menzies has public toilets and a small park for children. There is also a Visitor Center, hotel, general store, and cafe, although operating hours can vary. Lake Ballard also has toilets and campsites where you can camp for free in the designated area. Recreational vehicles are welcome, however there are no hookups available for water, sanitation, or electric, nor is there any available drinking water, so be sure to bring your own.

When to Visit Lake Ballard

Lake Ballard changes with the seasons. In the summer the lakebed is hard and dry, with searing temperatures and sun. Sunblock and a hat are a must during the summer. Winter temperatures are cooler, but rains can turn the lakebed into a mushy mess. I visited in the early fall, which was the best of all worlds. The ground was (relatively) dry and the temperatures high enough that I only needed a hoodie. It takes between two hours and half a day to visit the sculptures, depending upon how many you wish to see. But if possible, come early for or stay late. Not only are the sunrises and sunsets exquisite, the lack of light pollution at Lake Ballard guarantees magnificent stargazing.

Want to read more?

View all my travel stories about Australia. Read about another famous sculpture, the Melting Clock by Salvador Dali, located in the capital of Andorra.