King Island Kelp Craft is a unique form of handcraft originally created by local King Island resident Lorraine Powell in the early 1990s.
Since then, locals and visitors have admired the items created by a very select group of people. Sandy Robinson took over the business in 2019.
How are the handcraft items made?
“The items are crafted from shapes cut carefully from selected strands of Bull Kelp,” Sandy Robinson explains.
“The pieces of kelp are then sewn, shaped, preserved, then dried into a finished product.”
How much raw wet kelp is used to make them?
Up to a few hundred grams.
What is the method that is used to preserve, dry, and manipulate the kelp to transform it into the items?
“We use a propriety technique that removes most of the water in the kelp,” Sandy says.
“This technique allows us to fashion the kelp into the desired items by hand.”
“Once the desired shape is obtained, the items are then dried further to maintain their shape.”
How has COVID-19 affected King Island Craft?
“As King Island hasn’t had any cases of COVID-19, life continues as normal as possible,” says Sandy.
“The reduction in tourist arrivals has affected sales, but has also allowed us to stock up on completed items and experiment with new ideas.”
Location
King Island Kelp Craft shares a space with other artists at the Reekara Community Complex Top Shop (2249 North Road, King Island).
