The Aboriginal Art & Storytelling Project is our first major public art project on the Northern Beaches Coast Walk.

It aims to acknowledge, respect and share the stories of the Northern Beaches Aboriginal people through a series of public artworks along the Coast Walk.

Aboriginal artist Frances Belle Parker, working with public art and architectural design group Urban Art Projects and independent curator Tess Allas, was selected to develop artworks for multiple sites along the Coast Walk as part of this project.

Frances' winning concept designs celebrate Aboriginal stories of whale migration and the coast as a gathering spot and important life source of food (oysters/middens).

This project will see new works in three locations along the Coast Walk: Narrabeen Lagoon, Avalon (south) and Long Reef Headland.

As part of her community engagement process, Frances Belle Parker met with various members of our local Aboriginal community to:

• present her winning art concept design
• identify significant and relevant sites for the artworks
• share stories and memories about places and themes of the artworks.

On 7 March 2022 we also held an Online Meet the Artist session for the broader community. This was an opportunity to meet with Frances and her team to view the concept designs and hear about the planned artworks. Thank you to everyone who attended these sessions.

Following a project launch in mid-August 2022, artworks are now installed on the Coast Walk at Narrabeen, Long Reef, and South Avalon. The artworks aim to connect passers-by to Country by telling stories of Aboriginal life and continuing culture.

Click here for more information on this project.