Our public art collection
Our collection
Our public art collection includes works from across the shire done by local and nationally-recognised artists. Artworks are commissioned and developed through a range of partnership and sponsorship opportunities with professional artists, community groups, developers, philanthropic organisations and government agencies.
You can view an interactive map of our shire's artworks here.
These artworks help nurture a sense of community and shared history in Cardinia Shire, and enhance public spaces.
Acquisitions for the collection are made by Council purchasing or commissioning artworks, or through donation, gift or bequest.
Camaraderie
Camaraderie is a collection of granite sculptural figures and forms by artist, Viktor Kalinowski. The artwork is located in the entrance to Gembrook township.
The artwork symbolises people gathering together in friendship and trust. In Camaraderie, the figures are individuals but stand together forming a community who are connected to the land and resilient against the elements.
The Gift
The Gift, by New South Wales-based artist Julie Squires is located in front of Toomah Community Centre in Pakenham. It is a cast bronze sculpture of five leaf forms joined to a twig that emerges from the ground.
Etched into the leaves are the words of a Boonwurrung-inspired Journey Story, telling how women would travel through the country where Toomah is located to get to their birthing rites at the water. At the beginning of the journey they would be given a gift of leaves as their ‘passport through country’ and each leaf would signify a different area of country to travel through. For example, red gum leaf followed by a swamp gum leaf would illustrate travelling through the area of red gums then on through the swamp. A sacred ceremony would take place at the giving of the leaves.
Natural Balance
Natural Balance, by Queensland-based The Niche Art, is located outside the new Henry Family Children’s Centre in Pakenham. Inspiration for the sandstone, leaf-shaped sculpture is drawn from the local landscape past and present and indigenous culture. The sculpture also seeks to create awareness about conservation of the local environment at Pakenham and endangered plant species.
Toomah
Toomah, by Melbourne-based artists Sinatra Murphy, is a digital design embedded between thick glass. It is situated along the corridor wall to the Council Chambers in the Civic Centre in Officer.
Toomah visually interprets the story of Cardina Shire's landscape and how it has shaped, and been shaped by, local people. It was created following a series of community engagement workshops that identified nine themes relating to the shire’s changing landscapes: family, rivers and creeks, flood plain, indigenous heritage, fertile soil, agriculture, rapid development, diversity and inclusiveness, and natural heritage.
The Cardinian Embroidery
This Cardinian Embroidery depicts the townships of Cardinia Shire and is on display permanently at Cardinia Cultural Centre down the hall from the Gallery.
- The embroidery has 8 panels, each measuring 190 centimetres high and 140 centimetres wide. They features and landmarks considered significant by the local community, such as historic buildings, recreation reserves, parks, signs and annual local events.
- Techniques used to create the embroidery include cross-stitch, appliqué, blackwork, canvas work, free machine embroidery, fabric painting, hand embroidery and computerised machine embroidery.
- The project was funded by Vic Health and Council.
Toolim
Toolim is a striking 5.5 metre high sculpture in stainless steel and copper designed by award-winning artist Paul Johnson.
The artwork is intended to reflect the indigenous reed, juncus sedge, which was found in the adjoining lake. The reed is known as ‘toolim’ to the Bunurong people who are the traditional owners of the land and celebrates the history of the swamp that was here 30,000 years ago.
The sculpture was commissioned by Council and Delfin Lend Lease and was the first of 3 public artworks to be installed in and around the Lakeside Pakenham precinct.
Seeking The Emerald Star artwork
Seeking The Emerald Star is an artwork created by artist Eva Glac in 2020 designed to be suspended from the ceiling in Hills Hub, Emerald.
Created using ceramics, wood and lighting elements, the work features local native flora species with the endangered Emerald star bush flowers among a host of other flowers, seed pods and a parasitic plant.
The Emerald star bush is a rare plant in Cardinia Shire, only found in ideal conditions between Monbulk and Cockatoo.
Public art collection map
We have an interactive map which details public artworks across the shire. This includes works commissed by Council, developers, community groups and donations.
More information
Contact the Arts Project Officer on 1300 787 624 or mail@cardinia.vic.gov.au