If you’ve been following the IJET-34 social media accounts, you may already have spotted our koala mascot. If not, we’d like to introduce her (although Wonderscope asked that we not give her a name).
She was designed by Pete Cromer and brought to life as a beanie by Wonderscope, a Melbourne-based company. Over the past few months she has been introducing Melbourne, often with a little help from her rather large extended family.
Her twin brother has even been travelling through Japan, Korea and the UK, meeting JAT and IJET friends along the way. He’s a bit of an anthropologist and is enjoying observing how humans live outside Australia. He’s been quite a hit with everyone he meets.
If you’ve missed the koalas’ adventures so far, you can catch up on our Facebook, X and Instagram accounts. You can also browse the photos we’ve taken in Melbourne, Tokyo, Korea and the UK here.
If you'd like a beanie of your own, Wonderscope has kindly agreed to offer the collection to IJET participants at a special discounted price (A$24).
They’re lightweight, making them perfect souvenirs or gifts for friends and family.
The beanies weigh less than 0.5kg and travel in an 18cm x 16cm x 8cm box.
We’ve also included a couple of Wonderscope’s Australia-themed games.
Browse the collection (see PDF) and place your order by 20 August.
Your order will be available for collection at the registration desk during the conference.
Announcement: IJET-34 Photo Competition
Photograph your beanie as you explore Melbourne and Australia, then keep taking photos wherever it goes next. After the conference, share your photos on Instagram using a dedicated hashtag and tagging @petecromer and @discover.wonderscope.
Pete has kindly agreed to judge the competition, and Wonderscope will be providing prizes. Full details, including the hashtag, competition categories and entry period, will be announced in August.
The Organising Committee has had a lot of fun taking photos with the beanies, and our families and friends have joined in too. Cathy's daughter took the twin brother to Korea, while Ken’s daughter, Yuka’s daughter, Sara’s partner and Emily’s colleague have all helped us photograph the beanies around Melbourne. We can’t wait to see where yours ends up!
About the Artist
Pete Cromer is a contemporary Australian artist based in the Colac Otway region of Victoria. Inspired by the optimistic personalities in people and wildlife, Pete’s work is renowned for his signature bursts of glowing colour and beautiful textures, all reflected in his bold collages, paintings and sculptures.
About Wonderscope
Based in Melbourne, Wonderscope creates ethically sourced toys, games, bags and gifts that celebrate the work of talented artists.
With more than 100 years of combined product design experience, the company collaborates with artists to transform their work into colourful products.
Believing that art inspires new possibilities, Wonderscope creates products that bring a little more wonder to every day.
Order your beanies here by 20 AUGUST