City of Canada Bay has commissioned a major public artwork to mark the Great North Road convict trail in Five Dock, says Deputy Mayor Helen McCaffrey.
Council recently put a call out to artists to develop a bold and innovative piece of art that would honour the history of Great North Road and its significance in Five Dock.
“This piece will be situated at the intersection of Great North road and Lyons Road and will be highly visible to pedestrians and motorists,” Deputy Mayor McCaffrey said.
“The heritage-listed Great North Road trail starts at Five Dock and extends 240 kilometres north to the Hunter Valley. Due to the road’s historical importance, we want the art to reflect the surrounding environment and culturally diverse community, as well as highlight the area’s convict heritage.”
Thylacine artists, Shaun Kirby and Alexandra Gillespie, have been selected to create a large-scale, sandstone structure.
“We want to create a contemporary piece that evokes the extreme physical hardships and achievements of convicts. We will name the ‘nameless’ and celebrate their lasting contribution,” Mr Kirby said.
This project will present a localised focus that is specific to the City of Canada Bay. Bronze forms referencing tools used to build the original road will be inserted into the piece and bear the names of convicts who worked on this section of the trail.
“This display will seek to convey the human dimension of one Australia’s earliest infrastructure achievements,” Deputy Mayor McCaffrey said.
An estimated 5000 convicts worked on the Great North Road project over its ten year construction period.
The display will be installed in the next five months. City of Canada Bay’s Five Dock Town Centre development is part of the Five Dock Urban Design Study, a 20 year vision for the precinct to enhance liveability, amenity and investment.