Northern Beaches Council and Indigenous design studio mili mili have unveiled a new artwork perched atop the Freshwater headland, which honours First Nations heritage and narratives.
Paying tribute to the utilisation of signal fires by Indigenous tribes, the artwork has been developed via consultation with local Aboriginal elders, cultural knowledge holders, the Aboriginal Heritage Office and community. Bush to Bowl was also engaged, which saw mili mili integrate a number of endemic native plants within the surrounding landscape.
“Signal fires have been lit on headlands up and down the east coast by Aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years,” says mili mili Creative Director Nicole Monks.
“They are part of a sophisticated system of communication passed down through the generations, serving as a message, serving as a warning, serving as a reminder.”
Northern Beaches Mayor Sue Heins believes the artwork will serve as a place of connection for local residents and visitors to the Freshwater headland.
“When Cook sailed the Endeavour up the east coast of Australia in 1770, First Nations people strategically lit signal fires along the headlands, to convey a message and a warning,” she says.
“While the ship’s crew noted the smoke and fire, little did they know they were witnessing an emergency response in action.
“Just as smoke served as a signal then, may this artwork serve as a signal for us to all come together and pay tribute to the traditional custodians of this land and the enduring, continuing culture of First Nations people.”
The artwork sits on the region’s 36km Coast Walk, which stretches from Manly to Palm Beach.
