Our breathtaking coastline has the potential to be a unique and memorable walking experience like no other, all the way from Manly to Palm Beach.

We are identifying opportunities to explore our beach culture, history, the spectacular natural environment and local Aboriginal heritage through public art.

Priority sites have been identified and public art commissions are currently underway.

On 27 June 2017, the Northern Beaches Council Administrator pledged $2 million over four years to create a public art trail along the Northern Beaches Coast Walk, from Palm Beach to Manly. The objective was to deliver high quality public artworks at various sites along the walkway that reflect the cultural, heritage and natural significance of the Northern Beaches coastline.

The Northern Beaches Coast Walk Public Art Strategic Plan was developed to establish and guide a clear vision and plan for a connected art experience along the Coast Walk.

The Strategic Plan:

• delivers guiding principles for acquiring and commissioning public art
• identifies priority projects and locations for artwork
• establishes where artworks can be integrated into both landscape and architectural planning and design.

We also engaged heritage experts to undertake a scoping study of the coastline to identify themes, concepts, opportunities and key locations for creative outcomes so we can commission artworks in this environmentally sensitive coastal area.

The development of the draft Northern Beaches Coast Walk Public Art Strategic Plan was supported by an extensive community and stakeholder engagement strategy. This included establishing a Coast Walk Public Art Trail Working Group in December 2017 and undertaking widespread consultation with the general community and key stakeholders between July and September 2018.

Community and stakeholder engagement identified the following five key outcomes for consideration when planning for public art along the Coast Walk:

• Public art should be sympathetic to the natural environment and responsive to the foreshore context of the Coast Walk.
• Public art should be high quality, site specific and include a diversity of art forms and experiences along the Coast Walk.
• Public art should not negatively impact the Coast Walk’s headland views and beach vistas.
• Public art should explore Aboriginal heritage along the Coast Walk.
• Public art should educate the community about the Northern Beaches’ unique natural environment, culture and heritage.

Following public exhibition of the draft Strategic Plan and Scoping Study between 1 March 2019 and 31 March 2019, Council adopted the Northern Beaches Coast Walk Public Art Strategic Plan and Northern Beaches Coast Walk Scoping Study.