Mary Poppins statue turns to mark new beginnings in Bowral

In the NSW Southern Highlands, a cherished tradition takes place as the seasons change. In Bowral, a town with a special connection to beloved literary character Mary Poppins, year 6 students participate in a coming-of-age ritual that marks their transition to high school.

A 5-metre bronze statue of Mary Poppins, located in Glebe Park on Bowral Street, is turned 180 degrees on the equinox, symbolizing the changing of the seasons and the students' new phase in life. The statue was erected in 2012 and has become an integral part of the town's culture.

Allana Winn, president of the Southern Highlands Youth Art Council, conducted the ceremony, reminding the children that change is inevitable and exciting. "Our year 6 students are here today and have been invited to the spring equinox turning to mark not just the changing of a season, but the new phase in their lives," she said.

"Transitions are difficult, but change is exciting and inevitable. Embrace this rite of passage and be brave just like PL Travers and follow your dreams," she said.

The concept of honouring author PL Travers' connection to Bowral with a "birthplace statue" was initiated by Paul McShane and his daughter Melissa. McShane continues to be involved in the change-of-season ceremonies, noting that the Mary Poppins stories are set during the summer months.

"In March we're talking about the coming winter, but in spring we're talking about the coming summer, which is when the Mary Poppins stories are set," he said. "This park was opened in 1908, a year after they moved here, this was probably one of their very first experiences of a park, which is a central motif in the Mary Poppins stories."

The statue-turning ceremony replicates the nanny's arrival and departure on the east and west winds, a feature of the Mary Poppins book series. School captains in the Bowral district were invited to participate in the ritual, which has become a treasured tradition.

McShane also revealed that he and friends had previously been involved in a mysterious statue-turning ritual, calling themselves the Neleus Guild. "We don't know how exactly, but that statue got up and moved around the park," he said.

A personalized turntable was installed for the Bowral statue a decade ago, allowing the students to easily turn the statue. The statue was created by Australian sculptor Tanya Bartlett from a sketch proposed and modelled by PL Travers herself.

"She wanted to see a statue of Mary Poppins in Central Park New York, but it never happened," McShane said. "In 1966, she talked to sculptor Sean Crampton in England, who sketched her holding the umbrella."

The statue has become a beloved landmark in Bowral, and the annual turning ceremony a cherished tradition that celebrates the town's connection to Mary Poppins and PL Travers.