A new place marker designed by Quandamooka artist Belinda Close has been unveiled at Cabarita Park, Amity Point (Pulan) on North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah).

Redland City Mayor Karen Williams said Belinda’s artwork acknowledged the importance of Quandamooka culture and its story provided a unique insight for island visitors into a connection between people and place that extends more than 21,000 years.

“The Amity (Pulan) sculpture, which also acts as a weathervane, depicts the sea eagle Mirriginpah soaring high above the waters of Moreton Bay in search of food, alerting the Quandamooka People to the annual arrival of mullet – a story that is millennia-old,” Cr Williams said.

“The place marker tells a story many people may never have discovered without Belinda’s moving depiction – it provides a new opportunity to start conversations and promote Quandamooka Country on Redlands Coast.

“We know people want to experience Aboriginal culture, and on Redlands Coast we are fortunate to have an ever increasing range of Quandamooka cultural tourism experiences to offer.”

Redland City Division 2 Councillor Peter Mitchell welcomed the outstanding cultural artwork, saying its impact would extend well beyond Quandamooka Country.

“This stunning artwork and cultural story will add to the attraction of the island to visitors from far and wide, and be an experience people take home as a lasting memory to share with others all around the world,” he said.

Artist Belinda Close said she had been honoured to share a story still lived by Traditional Owners.

“My connection to Country is through my grannies, with their stories and legends passed down through many generations,” Ms Close said.

“This installation tells an ancient Quandamooka legend that everyone can share and understand, not just our people.

“The three dolphins in the sculture represent our three Clans – Noonuccal, Gorenpul and Nughie.

“We are a living culture and we still look forward each year to the mullet coming – this is a living story for people to learn.

“If people visiting the island know how passionate we are about our culture, the island and its animals, they will want to look after them and protect the island with us.”

The place marker is the first of three to be installed as part of the Queensland Government’s Minjerribah Futures initiative, with a second sculpture designed by Delvene Cockatoo-Collins to be completed at Point Lookout (Mulumba) in March 2020 and a third artwork to be located in Dunwich (Goompi) later in 2020.

Funded by the Queensland Government, the Amity Point and Point Lookout artwork projects are led by Redland City Council in collaboration with the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation (QYAC) and the artists.

Tourism Industry Development Minister Kate Jones said Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) was in the midst of another successful summer holiday season, attracting visitors from across Australia and the world.

“Last financial year almost half a million visitors to Queensland took part in First Nations experiences and research shows this market is growing,” she said.

“More tourists than ever before want an authentic cultural experience when they travel and Minjerribah is perfectly placed to capitalise on this growing demand.

“Belinda’s beautiful new place marker is just one of the many ways that locals and visitors can engage with Quandamooka culture and better understand the deep and ongoing connection between Traditional Custodians and Country.

“With the Year of Indigenous Tourism in 2020, the government has a strong focus on promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences right across the state.

“Minjerribah has a bright future as a leading destination for cultural and eco-tourism.”

QYAC CEO Cameron Costello said the artwork reflected the history and story woven into the depths of Minjerribah.

“This new place marker will help visitors and residents better understand and experience the deep connections between the Quandamooka People and this place,” he said.

“This sculpture represents a visual welcome and sharing of knowledge, adding to visitors’ experiences and contributing to valuable cultural education.”

Artists Delvene Cockatoo-Collins and Belinda Close have revealed the concepts for their public art placemarkers at Mulumba (Point Lookout) and Pulan (Amity Point).

Belinda shares the story of Mirriginpah the sea eagle and its association with Pulan (Amity Point).

While soaring above, Mirriginpah searches in the Quandamooka waters for fish, eels, crustaceans, sea snakes, small birds and mammals and is of great cultural significance to the Quandamooka People.

Mirriginpah is an important yuri and helper for the community, and the Quandamooka People recognise its connection with sea country.

The last high hill overlooking Quandamooka waters and the ocean at Pulan is called Mirriginpah.

On a tall tree on this hilltop, there was for many years the nest of a white sea eagle with pink eyes, and the Noonuccal, Ngugi and Goenpul people called the hill Mirriginpah after this nest and the eagle.

There is a long-told story of Mirriginpah:

When the season of the mullet schooling was near, the eagle would fly high in the sky until nearly lost from sight, and remain almost motionless as the sun was reaching midday.

For days, Mirriginpah would circle and soar, watching seawards and at the same time being watched itself.

For the Quandamooka People knew its custom from year to year, and repaired their tow-rows, or completed new ones in preparation.

Soon the day would come when the eagle would stop its circling and hover near the point called Pulan.

Then a silence would almost come upon the clans.

Soon, a cry would be heard as Mirriginpah would be seen flying quickly seaward.

The reason why?

Mullet season had commenced – Mirriginpah had given warning.

Belinda’s art, which also acts as a weather vane, will be installed at Cabarita Park, Pulan.

Mulumba (Point Lookout) placemarkers will be installed at the Gorge Walk trail head, opposite the shops. A small Council information hut that is past its useful life will be removed to allow for sight lines to the artwork.

Delvene shares the importance of the Eugarie to the Quandamooka People and its association with Mulumba.

She states: “The eugarie shells stand as they are often found – in the shallow waves, within the sand and on the midden.

“On this side of the island, remnants of this shell have been found – evidence of places of gathering and significance of this food source for the people of this island.

“This new marker, honouring those places of gathering and those who gathered, now also marks the place for ongoing gatherings.

“The eugarie shell is symbolic of people coming together.

“The patterns on the outer layer of the shell reflect the weathered patterns.

“Where they are placed allows the viewer to walk through and around – feeling the texture of the weathered shell.”

These place markers will also include information on the story behind each work of art as well as vertical location signage elements that can easily be seen from the road and include dual naming.

The placemarker project is being funded by Minjerribah Futures, with Redland City Council leading the project and Quandamooka Yoollooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation contracted to deliver the artworks.

Council is leading community engagement on the designs. This has included engaging with the community at the Point Lookout Markets at the Minjerribah Futures stand, as well as meeting individually with business owners and key groups across the island in July.

The works will be installed later this year.

June Update

Concept designs for public art entry statements for Amity Point (Pulan) and Point Lookout (Mulumba) are expected to go to the community around March/April 2019.

Council, who is the lead for the project, has contracted Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation to design and install the Quandamooka-inspired entry statements.

A Quandamooka artist or artists will create the designs.

Community consultation held last year by Council involved more than 100 people on the island.

The most popular subject matter for Point Lookout art was a whale, while the most popular for Amity Point was a dolphin.

The entry statements will be completed this year.

Funding for the entry statements is from the State Government’s North Stradbroke Island Economic Transition Strategy.

Redland City Council is in the final stages of contract negotiations with QYAC to have that organisation coordinate the design and installation of iconic Quandamooka-inspired public art entry statements at Amity Point (Pulan) and Point Lookout (Mulumba).

The public art entry statements will be designed to promote a sense of place for the two townships and offer a “selfie” moment to visitors and residents to inspire them to promote the island to family and friends around the world.

The project subcommittee - including state government agencies, Council, Straddie Chamber of Commernce and QYAC - determined that the public art entry statements would not be placed alongside a busy roadside but in a public place, such as a park, to allow residents and visitors to get up close and personal with the artwork, safely snap “selfie” moments and take time to learn more about the culture of North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah).

Council, who is the lead for this project, undertook community engagement over the September 2018 school holidays - on Sunday 23 September and Sunday 30 September with engagement activities also delivered through the Your Say website.

Council established a stall at the Point Lookout markets and outside the shop on Amity Point on both days with community and visitors contributing feedback on what type of entry statements would be most appropriate, what materials could be incorporated, how big they envisioned the artwork, whether they should be lit and suggestions on where they could be located.

More than 100 individuals participated, including 70 at the council stalls on the island and 40 via Council’s yoursay page.

The information will be provided to the artists who will develop the entry statements.

Face-to-face and digital platforms delivered consistent themes, all of which will be provided to artists who will be developing the entry statements.

So what did the feedback say?

1. A total of 70% of all participants who suggested subject matter for the Point Lookout art suggested a whale. It was by far the most frequently suggested response. Other ideas included dolphins, turtles, mantas, and other sea life. Kangaroos, birds, and curlews specifically were also suggested, as were the Gorge, pandanas trees, banksias, swimming and surfing.

2. The Gorge Walk Trailhead and Headland Park were popular areas for placement of the entry statements at Point Lookout.

3. A total of 39% of participants who suggested subject matter for Amity Point suggested a dolphin. The next most popular response was fishing (18%), and other popular ideas included fish/mullet, sharks, dugongs, pelicans and koalas.

4. At Amity Point, Picnic Park (opposite the swimming enclosure) was the most popular location for the entry statement, followed by nearby Cabarita Park.

5. ‘Natural’ materials, followed by ‘steel-rusted’ was the most popular choice of material.

6. Larger than human scale was most popular.

7. Incorporating a number of elements that people could walk through or interact with for a variety of photo opportunities was also popular.

8. Lighting for night time was popular, however there was a view by a smaller number of people that lighting was “too showy” for the island and turtle nesting nearby needed to be considered due to potential risks to hatchlings from light disorientations.

9. Nearly all respondents wanted information of the Quandamooka story behind the artwork included.

A total of 60% of respondents were locals on the island, with the balance primarily from Brisbane.

Once contract negotiations are finalised, it is anticipated a Quandamooka artist or artists will be commissioned to develop concepts for the public art entry statements. They will develop their own interpretation based on the feedback and informed by Quandamooka cultural values. They will also suggest a location that best works for the public art entry statements they design.

Artist concepts and locations are anticipated to go out to public consultation in early 2019.

The plan is for the public art entry statements to be finalised by mid-2019.

Thank you to all those residents and visitors who have provided feedback on this project.