About the project

Community feedback consistently tells us that creativity is important to our community. Yet compared to other regions, there is very little art in our streetscapes. We’re responding with new initiatives to grow our public art program.  

Public art can capture the cultural heart and identity of our region, and create delight, wonder and conversations in our shared spaces. It increases community and visitor curiosity to seek out more information about our stories, and what makes our region unique.

We value the opportunities that public art brings our local artists, fabricators and suppliers, boosting our local cultural economy. Council’s new public art program will see a range of commissions for emerging and established artists rolling out over the next few years.

Working with our community advisory group, Council’s Public Art Panel, we are gradually building local capacity and opportunities for public art.

This artwork is relatively low cost compared to permanent commissioning across Australia.

It is funded by developer contributions (not rates) and represents less than 1% of total infrastructure spend for Council in this financial year.

The artwork will cost $176,600 to install, and will provide 20 years of storytelling, engagement and joy for visitors to the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens. 

The artist was selected through a rigorous selection process as below:

Stage One - Expressions of Interest

February 2025 - March 2025

This public art opportunity was advertised nationally and locally through a wide range of media and platforms. The expressions of interest were open to any eligible artists who wished to apply. Applicants were asked to respond to short questions about their working methodology and provide an artist bio, CV and images of their previous work.  The submissions were assessed by five panel members including representatives from Castlemaine Art Museum, Buda Historic Home and Garden and the MASC Public Art Advisory Panel, according to pre-determined criteria.

Stage Two - Shortlist concept development

March 2025

During Stage Two, three shortlisted artist/s (or teams) were invited to develop their artwork proposals in close consultation with Council, CAM and Buda Historic Home and Garden, and with access to archival material. The Stage two shortlisted artists/teams received a fee of $3800 per concept to develop their final artwork proposals.

A full curatorial panel including experts and representatives from Castlemaine Art Museum, Buda Historic Home and Garden, La Trobe Art Institute and the MASC Public Art Advisory Panel reviewed the final concepts by the three shortlisted artists and recommend the final design to Council. 

The artwork is located permanently at the south-west entrance to the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens, in the South Gardens, on Walker Street in Castlemaine.

The Castlemaine Botanical Gardens site was chosen to attract visitors who will enjoy the many connections of the story with the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens, Castlemaine Art Museum, Market Building and Buda Historic Home and Garden.

The site speaks directly to the womens’ stories of connection with and collection of Indigenous plants and flowers, and to historical evidence of their use and love of the Gardens. The site is considered to be a central, historically and culturally relevant location to connect visitors with a story that invites them to more deeply appreciate the gardens, and then onwards to explore other heritage buildings and sites across the town.

The gardens are on Crown land, managed by Council and are included in the Victorian Heritage Register. The gardens are considered to be of historical, scientific, social and aesthetic significance to the state of Victoria, and we gained permits from all relevant authorities to ensure the sculpture was installed in line with requirements.

This site is near to accessible pathways and entrances between the busy trading area in The Mill Castlemaine and the gardens. It is accessible for viewing from the perimeter path of the gardens and is located at a busy gardens entrance.

This story was chosen following the research of curator Sarah Frazer, who created the exhibition The Wildflowers: First Ladies of Castlemaine Art Museum, at Castlemaine Art Museum in 2023. The story connects with the collective efforts of women over time and reminds us of contemporary and historical impact of women working together to make the place they live better.

Our public art program is designed to represent the diversity of people and stories in our community. Each new commission is an opportunity for us to celebrate different aspects of our histories, identities, and cultures. Other current commissions include working with Djaara artists on the Frederick St and Mechanics Lane development in Castlemaine, working with local artists on the Threshold commission on corner of Frederick St and Templeton St, and commissioning local artist Kirsten Moegerlein to work with Newstead Landcare on a mural on Panmure St in Newstead.