A FRIENDLY new face was waiting to greet new and returning Trinity College students on Tuesday.

Weighing in at 2.4 tonne and standing almost three metres tall, the ‘Trinity Lion’ is now boldly watching over Waldeck Oval, from adjacent the pavilion.

He was created by Trinity College director of facilities Ian Dale and has been designed with the playing habits of children in mind.

“I happened to have a friend who is an arborist who does a lot of work with the removal of dangerous trees, so things sort of fell into place where I had access to this big red gum log that had been burnt many years ago and had fallen down,” Mr Dale said.

“It was probably over 250 years old and I put it in the shed and over the past six months I’ve just been chipping away it.

“Pretty much most of the main structure was cut out with chainsaws and then I’ve used grinders and chisels and things to take it down to the finer bits.”

Mr Dale’s wood working talents are self-taught and for many years have been enjoyed as hobby.

“I’ve made all sorts of things; jewellery boxes and music boxes and bars, cheese boards, Christmas presents for friends and family,” he said.

“It’s just something I thoroughly enjoy doing.

“Some nights I’ll get out there (in the shed), stop and look at the clock and realise it’s one in the morning, I get so wound up in it.”

Several years ago, Mr Dale was inspired to carve a goanna out of the side of a log, which was subsequently installed in the South School playground.

The goanna has since been joined by a crocodile, while a koala is in the North School – but the Trinity Lion is by far Mr Dale’s biggest project yet.

“One hot day over the Christmas break I was sitting back having a drink and thought ‘did I really do that?’” Mr Dale said.

“I don’t know how I do it, it just happens.

“And to think the whole thing is made up of one piece of wood; it is very satisfying to have it finished now.”

The Trinity Lion also features a football and cricket bat, representative of the Trinity Lions sporting teams.