New Public Art To Celebrate Noosa’s Landscape and Stories

Since the announcement of the $10 million Australian Government funded ‘Public Art Initiative’ in September 2024, Noosa Council has been undertaking a rigorous application process to select two major public artworks for Noosa’s $460,000 allocation.  

Over 65 submissions were received from the Australia wide call-out, with six finalists selected before the final 2 concepts were endorsed by the expert judging panel. Artist Jade Oakley’s ‘Crossing The Bar’ and Jamie North’s ‘Remainders Noosa (2026’) were chosen for the way they respond to Noosa's landscape, invite community connection, and create experiences that can be enjoyed by residents and visitors for years to come.  

• Located on the Gympie Terrace foreshore, ‘Crossing The Bar’ is inspired by a scene well known to Noosa locals: recreational fishing boats navigating the Noosa River mouth and crossing the sand bar into the ocean. Balanced on a grassed mound, boat-like concrete forms will appear as if they are in the midst of crossing the bar, suspended momentarily between river and ocean. Designed to encourage interaction, the work invites people to gather, explore, and reflect on the shared experiences, memories, and stories connected to crossing the bar.

• Located in the shaded walkway of The Woods off Hasting Street, ‘Remainders Noosa (2026)’ will be comprised of large hollow spheres, sheltering micro-environments for native plant species. During the day, the artwork will feel like a natural extension of the environment, quietly belonging to the landscape. By night, the lighting will allow viewers to see the works glow from within and spark curiosity about the microcosms within.

With funding endorsed in June 2026 by the Australian Government, the selected artworks can now start to take shape.  

Residents are invited to learn more at a Community Update drop-in session on Friday 17 July, from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm, at the information marquee on the Gympie Terrace foreshore opposite James Street. Come see scale models of the artwork, meet artist Jade Oakley and learn about the inspiration behind ‘Crossing The Bar’. There is also an opportunity to register your expression of interest for your ‘Crossing The Bar’ story to be included in the digital component of the artwork.

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Photo: Artist Jade Oakley

The Public Art Initiative is fully funded by the Australian Government under the South East Queensland (SEQ) City Deal – a partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ) to deliver long-lasting benefits for the fast-growing SEQ region.

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