Public Art in Victor Harbor

Telstra Exchange Building Mural

In April 2020, South Australian Artist Nicole Black gave Victor Harbor its latest public art piece. Like many, Nicole spent most of her childhood summer holidays in Victor Harbor. The contemporary and original design was inspired by these memories with the use of seaside tones and native botanical colours. Read more….

Elemental

Erected as part of the Stage 2 Mainstreet Precinct Upgrade in 2018, Elemental stands tall at the entrance to Ocean Street. Artist, Karl Meyer of Exhibition Studios, had a vision for the ‘Elemental’ public artwork which sought to express the vitality and life energy of the landscape of Victor Harbor as well as celebrate the vibrancy of community and visitor engagement in the area. Read more….

Kondoli

At Kleinig's Hill Lookout, is a beautiful Whale sculpture. The Ngarrindjeri and Pitjantjatjara people and the local community all contributed to the project as a part of the reconciliation process.

It is made of mosaic tiling, and tells the story of Kondoli (the Ngarrindjeri whale story) as well as the Pitjantjatjara story of the seven sisters. The seven sisters story is relevant to Aboriginal people throughout Australia, as it is a dreaming story universal to most tribal groups. Other artwork is depictions of animals and plants native to Ngarrindjeri and Pitjantjatjara homelands.

On Occupied Territory

The artwork is a memorial to the meeting of Captain Flinders and Post Captain Baudin in Ramindjeri Ngarrindjeri Waters. It presents three worlds and three cultures, connected through wind and water. 1) Wind and water shape the land, which in turn shapes the culture. 2) The wind brought both Matthew Flinders of Great Britain and Nicolas Baudin of France to the shores of this land. 3) They brought with them the ‘winds of change’. The forms are based on ships’ rigging, the introduced species of the Norfolk Pine, and the indigenous Knobby Club Rush. Local Artist Margaret Worth delivered this piece in 2003. Read more…

Connection

In 2020 the City of Victor Harbor commissioned a piece of public art from local artist Matt Turley for the newly developed Railway Plaza.

In creating a piece for Railway Plaza, Turley drew inspiration from viewing the steam locomotive as a myriad of unique parts coming together to work in harmony. Titled Connection, the work explores the notion of individual entities, unique in their own design and purpose, coming together, connecting, to create something greater. It forms a sense of place, while remaining true to the history that inspired its design. Read more…

Whalers Well

Local artist Matt Turley has created an art piece to wrap around the whalers well in the newly developed carpark at the base of the Bluff.

Turley has created 3 Corten steel sculptures including a whale, whalers and a try pot. The try pot and whalers pieces are important as they acknowledge what the area was settled for and are an important part of our local history.  

The pieces are made up of layered Corten steel strips, with stainless highlights in each piece. The layers add contrast and depth, and the shapes are created using straight / angular lines  to add interest instead of a direct representation.