Tides of change
City of Moreton Bay Council commission
Art at Large: Gayundah Arboretum
2025
The Gayundah Arboretum is a contemplative place, signalled by the memorial for the HMQS Gayundah, a beached ship slowly rusting away on the coastline close by. Tides of change is inspired by my love for both the beautiful rounded leaves of the native hibiscus that grows abundantly in the arboretum, as well as honouring my own family connections to war service through my great uncle Henry Dalziel, a recipient of the Victoria Cross for his bravery during WWI.
Other sources of inspiration were the oxidised copper plaques and steel blue greys of the memorial site, and the bright fuchsia and greens of the coastal pigface that grows near the memorial - it’s my favourite coastal bush tucker plant, tasting like salty green apple.
In this place, we are reminded of the ephemerality of life as well as beauty in the imperfect - a sturdy warship reduced to rusted ruins, akin to the beautiful rounded leaves of the cottonwood tree slowly disintegrating in the Arboretum.
Photo acknowledgment: Photos courtesy of the artist
