AGNES WATER AND TOWN OF 1770 POLE ART TRAIL

Welcome to the pole art trail

It’s amazing what a small community can accomplish when they put their heads and hearts together in pursuit of a shared vision!

The Agnes Water and Town of 1770 Pole Art Trail is one such example of the power of community to achieve great things. Discover more about this beautiful region and it’s talented artists by joining us on this audio-described tour of a small section of the Pole Art Trail. Along the way, discover quirky and heart-warming tales about the close-knit community who created it.

The Agnes Water Cultural Art Trail Group came together early in 2019 after local Tracey Lee put it out to the community that she personally got so much enjoyment from seeing public art installations on her bicycle tours around Australia.

The community overwhelmingly agreed that public art was something they enjoyed. A meeting was held, and within an hour, unanimous and harmonious decisions had been made. They had a group name, set a theme and were ready to roll. They set out to develop an art trail of 20 poles for 2020, featuring flora and fauna indigenous to the area. Throughout the trail’s creation, many locals ‘adopted’ artists as their own, extending that warm hospitality the region is known for, by providing them with food and refreshments while they worked.

Within a few short years, the popularity of the Pole Art Trail has exploded, resulting in a staggering 58 artworks in total at the time this guide was published - far exceeding the initial vision for the project. These colourfully painted poles can be found dotted throughout the twin townships of Agnes Water and Town of 1770, adding a vibrant touch to the laid-back charm of these beautiful coastal communities.

Join us on this relaxed 30 to 35-minute stroll to discover a small sample of what’s on offer.

Setting Out on Springs Road

Your audio-described walking guide commences at the small but welcoming Agnes Water and Town of 1770 Visitor Information Centre located at 71 Springs Road. This is a great spot to glean some tips from the knowledgeable staff about things to see and do while exploring in the area. Once you’ve obtained some valuable local insights, get set to experience the creative community heart along the Pole Art Trail. This short walking tour takes in Poles 9 to 13 along Springs Road, Poles 28-30 along Agnes Street, and the option to discover Poles 31-35 on an additional loop along Jeffery Court, before returning the way you came, back to the Visitor Centre.

As you depart the Visitor Centre, head to your right (or west) along Springs Road. The first five poles described in this tour are located on the northern side of Springs Road, in the block between Clowes Lane and Agnes Street.

The first painted pole you’ll come to is Pole 9, titled ‘Lovely Lorikeets’ by artist Linda Burow. It depicts brightly coloured lorikeets sitting on tree branches with the outline of a golden sun overhead. The background of the pole is a vibrant transition of yellow, red and purple. Describing these birds and her painting, the artist says, ‘Not only are they balls of sunshine and rainbows but a reminder to be in the moment and pay attention to the surroundings. Rainbow lorikeets inhabit the trees in this area and make all the fun noises every morning and afternoon.’’

Poles 10 and 11

The next pole, titled ‘Celebrate Decorate’, was created by artist Natalie Pearce. A very large cockatoo feather in bold black and red is painted vertically up the pole, on a subdued background of light khaki. Natalie explains, “Some say, when the Black Cockatoo is present, it is a symbol of significant changes to come: heavy rain, spiritual strengthening, or a celebration of spirits or gods. The feeling is usually one of joyful celebration with our attention easily fixated on the natural beauty of these magnificent creatures. Throughout history, humans have adorned themselves with feathers, where different cultures have their own unique meaning and use. Commonly, feathers are used for celebration and decoration.

However you interpret our art , I wish for you to be reminded of all the natural beauty that surrounds us and the need to help protect it.”

Pole 11 was created by artist Tom Campbell, who recalls the inspiration behind his painting entitled ‘Termites’. He writes, “ As I painted this pole termites were literally eating our shack in the bush. It would be easy to despise them or poison them, but I choose to see it this way. All the little critters of the earth (bacteria, insects, worms, fungi, algae, termites and so on) are the crew on our merry ship. Us big guys- humans, whales, possums and so on (you get the idea) are passengers. If we disappear there will be great disruption but not collapse. If we lose the little guys, life as we know it doesn't exist. So here's a toast to the little guys, the creators, the recyclers, the truly important creatures on earth - from just a humble passenger.”

The pole features a purple background with large brown termites crawling vertically up and down its length.

Poles 12 and 13 – Springs Road

Pole 12 was created by artist Anja Van Kraalingen and is titled ‘Blue Tiger’ in honour of the magnificent brown butterfly with blue spots adorning its wings. After good rains thousands of blue tiger butterflies emerge in swarms throughout the Agnes region. Anja thought it would be fun to single out one of them and challenge herself to wrap it around the pole, so only part of the butterfly is visible at any one point.

Soul Flora is the title of Pole 13, the final pole on this section of Springs Road. In this beautiful artwork, local artist Tiahla “LaLa” Coral-Maree celebrates her appreciation of the flowers which she has loved since being a little girl growing up in Queensland. Set on a black background, the pole appears to bloom with the orange blossoms of Birds of Paradise at the bottom, yellow wattles and pink native blossoms halfway up the pole, and yellow honey blossoms hanging down from the top.

She also pays tribute to the information she has learnt as a woman about the bush tucker and medicinal purposes of these flowers since being in Agnes Waters. She is truly grateful to be here on this land.

Shortly after Pole 13 you’ll come to the intersection of Springs Road and Agnes Street. Turn right into Agnes Street and take care crossing over to the far side as there is no traffic lights or pedestrian crossing. All pole art in this street is located on the western side of the road, furthest from the Visitor Centre.

The Art on Agnes Street

The next pole on the Art Trail, titled Thalassophilia (love of the ocean) is found directly outside the Agnes Water Beach Club. Artist Marci Russo describes the artwork as representing a celebration of the Coral Sea, seashells as exquisite works of art by Mother Nature, and the beautiful beaches of Agnes Water. Depicted are striped Cockle Shells, Stripe-Mouthed Conniwinks (small round shells with orange tops and striped bottoms), the spiralled shells of Turban Snails, and the conical-shaped shells of limpets. The top and bottom of the artwork is framed by vertical stripes in shades of orange, aqua, blue and white.

A little further along Agnes Street you’ll find Pole 29, a feel-good collaboration between artists Linda Burrow and Shane Murphy titled ‘Agnes Time’. A kookaburra, dolphin and leaping lizard frolic on a background of swirling blues and whites, set beneath the rays of a golden sun. The caption for this piece encapsulates the playful nature of the region and reads:

Fun in the sun and surf

Laugh like a kookaburra

dance like the dolphins

Get ya thrills like a frilly

Pole 30 is known as ‘Our Reef’ and is located towards the end of Agnes Street, near the Mango Tree Motel. The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest reef system in the world, a natural wonder, and it begins just offshore from Agnes Water and the Town of 1770. Artist Steve Plath captures the awesome diversity and splendour of a local feature of this this area. His artwork depicts an underwater seascape with coral formations and colourful tropical fish swimming in an ocean of vibrant blue.

At the end of Agnes Street, you may like to refuel at Codie’s Café, enjoy a play at Tom Jeffery Memorial Park, or relax on the nearby beach. Alternatively, continue your art adventure with an optional loop along Jeffery Court.

Optional Jeffery Court Loop

If you’re craving more artistic input, cross Agnes Street and take a leisurely wander around Jeffery Court to visit an additional five painted poles. This optional loop takes an extra five minutes to complete, but please take care as there are no designated footpaths or pedestrian walkways along this section of the path. For the purposes of this audio tour, we’ll commence at the second entrance to Jeffery Court, near the end of Agnes Street furthest from Springs Road.

Poles 31 and 32 are located on the southern side of the road in Jeffery Court, before it loops to the right. The first of these, Pole 31, is titled ‘Water lilies, Hope & Freedom’ by artist: Sandy Taylor Smith. The artwork features a gorgeous bright green frog on a floating lily pad, with white water lilies and a tranquil dove, set beneath an olive branch.

Sandy says, ‘’Seeing lily pads and lilies on water always seems like a magical, meditative, serene scene to me... and as the dove & the olive branch symbolise peace, I hope the lilies will be a symbol of hope & freedom for people in these difficult times.

Further along on the same side of the street is Pole 32, a high contrast artwork by Natalie Pearce titled ‘Bioluminescent’. The distinctive green glowing shapes of mushrooms stand out vividly against a background of black. According to the artist, ‘In dryer months, it's easy to forget the wonder that the fungi family brings. But as soon as the wet weather arrives, the mushroom show begins! And yes... we have bioluminescent fungi here!!! Mycena Chlorophos. When we stand together, we can truly appreciate uniqueness and see your natural light. Be like a mushroom and shine!”

Rounding the Corner

As Jeffery Court swings around to the right, take care crossing to the other side of the road. Just before the NRMA Agnes Water Holiday Park you’ll find Pole 33, entitled ‘We Are Here’. Pole artist Brittany Cervantes gives a nod to the traditional custodians of Gooragan Country with the almost triangular shape of the sacred Bunya Pine, considered to some as the “mother spirit” silhouetted against the earthy colours of the sunset. The artist states, ‘’We are here because of a mother, we are here now while the sun sets, we are here in our place in the Milky Way Galaxy. “

Continue along this side of the street in the direction of travel to pass poles 34 and 35, on your loop back towards Agnes Street. ‘Gumnut Echidnas’ by artist Maddison March-Brown, can be found outside 14 Jeffery Court. This one’s for the kids - inspired by the May Gibbs Gumnut Babies books. In Agnes Water they don’t have any known koalas, but they do have echidnas running around under the gumtrees. Inspired by this, Maddison has depicted cartoon-style echidnas with cheeky little expressions, running amongst the grass and the yellow flowering gums.

Finally, on the same side of the road just before it reconnects with Agnes Street, you’ll encounter the artwork of Benjamin Rocky Fagan. The artist expresses his love of things nocturnal with a rather realistic painting of a tawny frog mouth, depicted in shades of brown, white and grey with large, round yellow eyes that seem to stare directly ahead.

Continue to the end of Jeffery Court and turn left into Agnes Street. Continue straight ahead to the intersection of Springs Street. Turn left again and retrace your path back to the Visitor Information Centre, where your audio tour concludes.

Accessibility

In creating this audio guide to a section of the Pole Art Trail, we recognise that public art of this nature may not be accessible to everyone, particularly those visitors who are blind or have very low vision. However, we curated this experience in the hope of allowing all visitors to gain greater insight into the artworks around them, and to share some of the stories behind their creation.

Please note that this guided walk will take approximately 30-35 minutes to complete, depending on your individual walking speed. Listeners should also note that it involves some road crossings without the availability of traffic lights or pedestrian crossings. It also includes some sections of road without designated footpaths, and may involve some uneven terrain. Please take this into consideration before you decide to head out.

Public amenities, including accessible toilets, can be found at Tom Jeffery Memorial Park at the end of Agnes Street. For further information about nearby facilities and attractions please speak to the friendly staff at the Agnes Water and Town of 1770 Visitor Information Centre at the start or end of your walk.