Huge waves have damaged four sculptures and destroyed one at Sydney’s popular coastal exhibition.

Several sculptures in the hugely popular Sydney exhibition Sculpture by the Sea – a free display of more than 100 sculptures along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk – were damaged on Monday by a high tide and huge swell, as strong winds sent waves crashing to the shore.

Some artworks were swamped but survived. However, five were badly affected including Bronek Koxka’s Fair Dinkum Offshore Processing featuring figures in a metal cage, which was destroyed.

^{Before and after fierce weather conditions: Bronek Kozka’s Fair Dinkum Offshore Processing at Sculpture by the Sea}

As news of his sculpture’s fate broke, Kozka told the Sydney Morning Herald: “It’s a bit of a shock. I’m still processing it. I’m upset that it’s gone, but I’m more upset that offshore processing is an issue we need to keep in peoples’ minds all the time, and now they won’t be seeing it.”

Anticipating the high tide, organisers had moved several sculptures (including Kozka’s) further up the beach but were taken by surprise by the fierce weather conditions, with swells of up to...