The ghost-like figures that populated the World Expo site at South Bank in 1988, and elsewhere in inner-city Brisbane in the years following, have mostly disappeared.

Now, the hunt is on to find the sculptures, known as the Artbusters, which once numbered almost 90.

“They are sculptures of dancers and clowns, bushies, botanists and wide range of others and some of these haven’t been seen for 25 years,” World Expo '88 30th anniversary committee spokesman Peter Rasey said.

There were 88 sculptures specifically commissioned for Expo and, 30 years on, only 18 have been located, mostly at South Bank with others in Brisbane’s CBD.

Until recently, the famous scene of five bushies around a campfire was outside the old Department of Primary Industries building in Ann Street.

But those bushies disappeared along with the building's public servants, when they shifted to 1 William Street in 2016.

The other 70 of these pieces have disappeared into cupboards, garages, under buildings and stored as junk.

However, junk they are not.

They were white fiberglass sculptures by artists John and Judy Underwood, commissioned by Expo artistic director John Truscott.

The Artbuster sculptures were such a huge hit during Expo they were bought by then-lord mayor Sallyanne Atkinson for $3 million at the conclusion of the event.

But now they have gradually dwindled from public view. Some fell victim to age, others had tree branches fall on them.

Brisbane City Council began to hunt for the rest of them after establishing a World Expo 88 Art Trail.

Two Artbusters statues, both trapeze artists, were recast in bronze and hung above King George Square.

Then, just before Christmas, 14 more pieces were found inside an old rail carriage at a Brisbane holding yard.

Four of these recently-discovered Artbusters statues are now being recast in bronze by Brisbane sculptor, Dean Rusling.

Dean Rusling has previously cast bronze statues of Queensland State of Origin stars Mal Meninga and Artie Beetson, and a bust of indigenous land rights hero Eddie Mabo.

“For the 30th anniversary of World Expo '88, given the cost of doing them, we are going to be recasting four of them,” Mr Rasey said.

“But hopefully over the fullness of time we would hope that the rest of them would be recast and go out on display.”

Mr Rasey said it was “a shame” the sculptures had fallen out of public view.

“It just meant the love of Expo '88 disappeared for period and we want to bring it back because it was such a growth time for the city,” he said.

First, they are trying to trace as many of the Artbuster sculptures as they can.

Mr Rasey said two were at Woolloongabba’s LandCentre Building, which is set to be demolished to make way for the Cross River Rail project.

"We are trying to protect them,” he said.

Lord mayor Graham Quirk and Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk have begun preliminary talks on ways to mark the 30th anniversary of Expo.

That would come after the April Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

A museum of World Expo '88 memorabilia is being assembled at the John Oxley Library at South Brisbane.