News Alert |

Local artist Deanne Gilson will begin installing her public artwork as part of the new sculpture park at North Gardens this Monday.

In July last year, Deanne was announced as the first artist to be commissioned at the North Gardens site as part of the sculpture park project – a project that coincides with the Lake Wendouree Master Plan, a 20-year strategic plan for the future of Lake Wendouree which supports the activation of the precinct.

It is the first project to be delivered as part of the Lake Wendouree Master Plan.

The City of Ballarat, in consultation with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and local Indigenous representatives, initiated the sculpture park project in 2017 to help identify and educate the community about the significance of Lake Wendouree to local Indigenous residents.

This project also strongly aligns with the Creative City Strategy and accompanying precinct plan which set a vision for new public artwork to be focussed around telling local stories.

Deanne’s piece, which has been inspired by real-lived experience of her ancestors, will be the first to be installed at the site.

This installation will commence on Monday 4 February, and is due for completion on Friday 15 February.  An opening event will be held on Saturday 23 March 2019.

Deanne’s sculpture, which is intended to become a ceremonial place, will feature a traditional hut made from river stone and stacked rocks.

A number of large basalt rocks will also be moved onto the site, these rocks will have plaques imbedded into them featuring unique Wadawurrung designs.

The plaques will feature symbols of men, women, children, hunting, artefacts, ceremony, plants, animals/totems and Dreamtime stories associated with her Wadawurrung ancestors.

The rocks will also be connected through a river of pebbles, representing the waterways and Lake Wendouree.

During installation, part of the North Gardens wetlands site near Zoo Drive and Wendouree Parade will be closed. The public will notice temporary fencing onsite during this time.

Background information:

Ballarat has been a gathering place for Indigenous people in south eastern Australia for centuries, and the wetlands around Lake Wendouree have been identified as a location where gatherings of Indigenous people have previously taken place.

Subsequently, indigenous plantings have been a strong feature of the area’s landscape design, which will be further supported by this $90,000 public art project.

City of Ballarat officers will continue to work with an Indigenous landscape design team to consult with Wadawurrung Elders and commission new landscape design elements and contemporary sculptures created by south eastern Australian Aboriginal artists for the wetlands area at the North Gardens.

The first artwork commission was designated for a Wadawurrung artist to showcase the Traditional Owners of Ballarat, the Wadawurrung people.

It is intended the North Gardens will become a place for education, ceremony, storytelling, skills development or demonstration, and contemplation.

Further public art commissions are yet to be announced.