May Barrie's sculpture Time And Tide Granite Monolith 11 beat 113 other artworks to clinch the major $60,000 award.

An estimated half a million people will turn out over the next two weeks to see the annual outdoor art exhibition scattered along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk.

The top prize was sponsored by the Balnaves Foundation, which is calling on councils and public organisations to nominate sites for a permanent collection of winning sculptures.

Sculpture By The Sea runs until November 15.

For full coverage see Friday's Mercury.