Soaring above the raspberry and veggie patches, two Wedge-tailed Eagles keep vigil over the land — not with feathers and talons, but with wings forged from heat shields and beaks that bite down in gleaming abalone shell.

Crafted by local sculptor and photojournalist Steve Finmore, these striking birds are made entirely from salvaged Australian car parts. The wings once shielded engines under old Holden Commodores. The rest? Cobbled together from cowling, exhaust, and whatever else Finmore could reawaken from the scrapheap.

Perched high as the garden’s watchful guardians, these eagles honour the largest bird of prey in Australia — a creature whose real wingspan can reach up to 2.3 metres. And out here, among the rolling hills and big skies, it’s entirely possible you’ll spot a live one gliding overhead, wild and free.

Until then, these two will do just fine — rusted, regal, and refusing to blink.