Creativity and Culture: Museum of Brisbane’s Walking Art Tour
- Words by Kelley Sheenan
Time-travelling lungfish floating in a mosaic of glass tiles, a four-breasted female empowerment goddess cast in bronze, and a striking botanical sculpture spanning 15 metres, showcasing the cultural misrepresentation of Aboriginal people… These are just a few of the art installations that can be sighted on the Museum of Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Precinct Public Art Tour. I’ve been intrigued about the new riverfront entertainment precinct and the art that now adorns the landscape, and so I jumped at the chance when an invitation dropped to join the guided walking tour.
PHOTOS: KELLEY SHEENAN
ABOVE: LINDY LEE BEING SWALLOWED BY THE MILKY WAY
Admittedly, going into the city, much less the new Star Casino, is not generally high on my list of priorities. So I was happily surprised to discover the recently redeveloped public area around the Queens Wharf precinct sports a multitude of artworks and sculptures conveying cultural, historical, social, environmental and Indigenous storytelling nestled in the landscaped urban and riverside green spaces. The 90-minute tour is presented by an expert Museum of Brisbane tour guide and ‘explores the intersection of art, history, landscape and identity’, showcasing works by First Nations, Queensland and international artists alongside historical buildings and landmarks. Shout out to our knowledgeable guide Revy, who I could have listened to all day!
TOP: (L) JUSTENE WILLIAMS SHEILA (R) MR WANAMBI DESTINY (MIDDLE) SAMUEL TUPOU LUNGFISH DREAMZ
(BELOW L) JOHN ELLIOT NEVILLE BONNER (BELOW R) TONY ALBERT INHABITANT
It was a lovely way to explore my own backyard and learn more about the history of the Meanjin lands that I live on. The spectacular artworks that now dot the revived public walkways invite you to experience the area with fresh eyes. The short (and accessible) wander around the iconic site had us taking in Lindy Lee’s star-spangled Being Swallowed by the Milky Way, Justene Williams’ gigantic four-breasted Sheila, the aluminium baking tray figure Looking Up by Tom Friedman and contemporary Indigenous artist Tony Albert’s botanical creation Inhabitant, amongst many other important works. “Brisbane is a part of my heart, and I am so grateful to have been able to work with the local community to present this work,” Tony Albert says of the piece. “It is wonderful to see a growing number of Indigenous indicators in public spaces. We need aspirations for our First Nations children to be visibly seen as a part of our landscape.”
It is wonderful to see a growing number of Indigenous indicators in public spaces
Book a tour here for a boost of creativity and culture!
THANKS TO VISIT BRISBANE FOR THE INVITE!
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“My piece of advice for makers and designers? Run your own race… make sure your key decisions stay anchored in your brand’s core beliefs.”
- Bec Bligh
Quick show of hands: who’s opened a water bottle expecting a refreshing sip… and instead been greeted by the unmistakable whiff of uh-oh?
Because for something that follows us everywhere (desk, car, hikes, yoga…), the humble drink bottle is strangely prone to becoming a science experiment. Hard-to-clean corners and gaskets. Mystery smells. Bec Bligh and her husband Tim know it well. A six-month sailing trip along the Queensland coast left them with a lifetime of memories and one stubborn annoyance: mouldy water bottles they couldn’t properly clean.
So they did something about it.
Enter @EverVessel. Thoughtfully designed borosilicate glass and stainless steel bottles that keep things beautifully simple: durable materials, wide openings, easy-to-clean parts and none of the techy gimmicks that tend to age badly. Turns out simplicity, done well, is pretty powerful stuff. (Their many design awards agree!)
And lately they’ve added a little extra delight: the Artist Series, where creatives like Paola Castro, Ben Miners and Martin Thompson transform these everyday companions into tiny travelling artworks. There are more colabs in the works, too: hydration, but make it joyful! 🎨💧
We chatted with Bec about the sailing trip that started it all, the philosophy behind Ever Vessel, and why the most sustainable product is often just the one you keep using.
Tap the link in our bio to read the full conversation. 🚰
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Pull up a chair… there’s room at this table!
For the first time, Feast for Freedom is bringing people together for a spectacular long-table dinner as part of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival.
A Longer Table is exactly what it sounds like: one beautiful shared table inside the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1), piled with generous dishes inspired by this year’s hero cooks, Noha and Nige.
From 6 to 9pm on Wednesday, 25 March, this is what you can expect:
🍽 A three-course shared feast
🍷 Matched drinks
🎶 Live entertainment
✨ A room full of good humans
Your ticket doesn’t just buy you a delicious dinner. It supports the ASRC’s vital work and helps create a fairer future for people seeking asylum.
Seats are limited, and long tables have a way of filling up quickly – head to @MelbFoodAndWine’s website to book now: feastforfreedom.org.au/mfwf
#FeastForFreedom #MelbourneFoodAndWineFestival #LongTableDinner #FoodForChange
Sew versatile! 🪡
Another great make from Lisa from @SunnySewsEveryday:
My #PeppermintWaratahWrapDress is finished and I’m so proud of it. It has been designed not to flap open and flash your pants in the wind, so I feel confident it will be a great wheelchair or standing dress in English weather.
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Sun-safe chic is always in style. ☀️
Find it via the link in our bio!
Photos: @KelleySheenan
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The Peppermint Myrtle Shift Dress is a beginner-friendly make with a few special details based on the ever-stylish shift shape – the perfect dress you need in your wardrobe right now!
Myrtle cuts above the knee with options to customise the length. Don’t think she’s reserved for hot weather either: try a heavier-weight fabric to turn your Myrtle into a pinafore-style garment for layering.
For our fabrics we chose two from our lovely sewing partner @Karmme_Apparel – the bold Rottnest Stripes in a lightweight, soft-drape cotton, and the quality linen in the handpainted Mexico Collection.
Get making the Myrtle – the only question is, can you stop at just one?
Link in bio 🪡
Fabric: @Karmme_Apparel
Sewist: @Laura_The_Maker
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Models: @SerahSews and @Pins_And_Tonic
Location: @ShareTheDignityAustralia
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It’s time to Feast!
Some recipes travel a long way before they land on your table to delight your taste buds. This year’s Feast for Freedom invites us to gather our friends, cook something delectable and raise funds for the incredible work of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (@Asrc1) while we’re at it.
The 2026 Feast features recipes shared by two remarkable cooks: Noha, who brought the flavours of Palestine with her when she arrived in Australia, and Nige, a Sri-Lankan Tamil cook whose journey with food began in the most unexpected of places.
You can host your own Feast up until 30 April – simply register online and get planning! Host a dinner, organise a workplace lunch, or gather your community… However you do it, the idea is simple: cook, connect and celebrate the cultures and stories that shape Australia.
Want to find out more? Head to the link in bio to meet Noha and Nige, learn more about their stories, and discover a delicious recipe to try.
#FeastForFreedom #PeppermintMagazine #FoodForGood #ASRC
