But creating a two metre-tall 3D pelican out of steel was a giant leap into the unknown.

"I'd never done anything that big before," he said.

The first hurdle, after the planning phase, was translating the two-dimensional design into a three-dimensional structure. This was done by projecting and tracing the pattern onto plywood, before replicating the elements in steel and welding the heavy frame together.

As one of only two Year 12 students involved in the project in 2018, when it all began, he was tasked with a majority of this work, which took about six months to complete.

He also worked on sculpture number two - the fish - which utilised recycled materials to form the skeleton, and required a lot of problem solving in order to devise an 'invisible' support structure to hold it all together.

Jack threw himself into the project - snatching every spare minute he could to do a bit of work here and there.

"Because we knew other people were going to see this, we all put in our best efforts," he said.

"It felt really good to see what you can achieve when you work with a team."

He also scored himself a work placement with Jason Earnshaw of Earnshaw Engineering, where he learned valuable skills and worked on another professional sculpture project for Chris Edwards which is now on show in Woolongong.

Throughout the process, Jack acted as a role model to the junior students - a job he looks back on with pride.

A few of the kids in the program had been having a tough time at home, and in school.

"But they got really involved, those students. Giving them independence with tools and their own tasks worked, and it was really good to see," he said.

Jack left Nambucca Heads High at the end of 2018 with glowing references from both Gary and Jason, and competency in a range of industry skills, which allowed him to get his foot in the door at Express Coaches.

He's now employed on the Council's engineering services crew, and has had a hand in constructing both Lanes Bridge and the new Nambucca Heads boardwalk.

But he still uses the skills he learned at school, doing home repairs on trailers and any other welding jobs people need help with.

"I think I'd still like to do a metal fabrication trade as well in future, but we'll see what happens," he said.

Jack was thrilled to see the team's years of hard work pay off when the sculptures had their public debut at the Maagunda Gaagal (festival of the ocean) at Main Beach on February 29.

"I was overhearing people say how good they were. I think it gave a lot of insight into what we can do - now that they're out there, people know what we can achieve," he said.

There have already been quite a few enquiries about buying the sculptures, but Jack's got some ideas about where he thinks they should go.

"I'd love to see the surfboard at Main Beach - 'cos that's the main surfing spot.

"And it'd be good if the school could sit down and work with Council and their plans for the V-Wall redevelopment. It'd be alright to see the fish go down there, I reckon."

Jack has his money on student numbers increasing in the school's engineering program after the success of this project. And he said he'd love to come back for future projects in a mentoring role, if given the chance.

"It was a really good environment to work in, and I wouldn't change a thing," he said.

"I'd really just like to thank Mr Cattanach and Jason for the opportunity to be a part of something great like this."

A little bit of va-va-voom for bushfire relief

Run of break-ins at Nambucca Heads