Forgotten Opera Star Amy Sherwin Gets Statues in Tasmania

A Tasmanian opera singer who once took the world by storm is finally getting the recognition she deserves, 90 years after dying alone and broke in a London nursing home.

Two statues of Amy Sherwin were unveiled today at Hadley's Hotel in Hobart, honoring the woman known as "the Tasmanian Nightingale." Born in rural Huonville, Sherwin became Australia's first international opera celebrity in the 1870s, years before Dame Nellie Melba would overshadow her in history books.

The celebration included a street festival where Tasmanian soprano Jacqueline Ward arrived by carriage, recreating Sherwin's triumphant return to Hobart. Church bells rang as Ward performed two songs for the gathered crowd, bringing Sherwin's legacy back to life.

Former Australian Greens leader Bob Brown, who leads the Amy Sherwin Fund, has spent years championing her story. "She came out of the bush and said, 'When you want to go for something, go for it and keep going,'" Brown said. "She was the most famous Tasmanian in the world."

Melbourne sculptor Peter Schipperheyn created both statues after Brown called him out of the blue. The artist traveled to Italy's famous Carrara quarries to hand-pick a white marble block that had been waiting 20 years for the right project.

Working from a single photograph of Sherwin in an ornate 19th-century dress, Schipperheyn even consulted a fashion designer to recreate details that no photos captured. He called the process "like an adventure," bringing the opera star out from the stone.

Why This Inspires

Sherwin's journey from rural Tasmania to international stages proves that talent and determination can overcome any starting point. Her story was nearly lost to time, but passionate supporters refused to let her contributions fade away.

The marble statue now stands inside Hadley's Hotel, while a weather-resistant bronze replica graces the balcony. The fund raised $200,000 for the marble work, with Hadley's Hotel funding the bronze piece separately.

Brown hopes young Tasmanians will see themselves in Sherwin's rise from humble beginnings, and that her comeback inspires them to pursue their own dreams without limits.