Redlands Coast art trails ready to explore
Art lovers and those who enjoy discovering hidden gems will delight in the new Redlands Coast art trails.
Redland City Council’s collection of more than 100 public art works include vibrant and intriguing creations that reflect the history, culture and stories of the Redlands Coast. Take a day or spend a week discovering the naturally wonderful talent and culture featured through a network of art trails.
Cleveland (Nandeebie) to North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah)
You can join the trail at any point, or start by picking up the new Art Trail brochure from the Redlands Coast Visitor Information Centre, at the Raby Bay Harbour Precinct.
Head towards Cleveland town centre, and you’ll pass large-scale sculptures including Marine Sail in sandstone and bronze, and Mud Flats, a concrete and stainless-steel water feature, before reaching Cleveland Library, on Middle Street.
Don’t forget to look down—you’ll notice decorated service pit covers and inlaid mosaics along the trail, built into garden beds and as part of street furniture.
Redland Art Gallery (RAG), on the corner of Middle and Bloomfield Streets, features over 830 artworks in their RAG Collection, created by 220 artists including early settler and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Information on gallery exhibitions and opening hours is on the Redland Art Gallery website.
Look across Middle Street from the gallery towards the library building for best views of the Dabilbahnba (Salt Water Country) wall mural, one of several important place markers in Quandamooka Country.
Stroll down Bloomfield Street and discover Queensland’s first Poetry Trail including contributions honouring Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker), with contemporary artworks built into the townscape. Bloomfield Park features a popular children’s play sculpture.
From Cleveland town centre, the Art Trail returns to Middle Street before branching towards Cleveland Point, or connecting via ferry services to North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah).
The Cleveland Point trail takes in The Old Schoolhouse Gallery, at 124-126 Shore Street North, where you can take a closer look at the best of Redlands Coast local art and creative talent.
North Stradbroke Island (Minjerribah) reveals its rich Quandamooka history and culture through art and place marking. Explore three art galleries at Dunwich (Goompi) featuring work by local artists. Look for the whale (Yalingbila) mural to locate the North Stradbroke Island Arts Collective (upper level), selling work by several local artists. It’s just a short stroll to the Salt Water Murris Quandamooka Art Gallery, and the studio of Delvene Cockatoo-Collins.
The refurbished reception of the North Stradbroke Island Museum on Minjerribah, in Welsby Street, is to feature wall art by Quandamooka artist Megan Cope and others as a cultural backdrop for the museum’s reflection of life and issues before, during and after European colonisation.
Ask the helpful museum staff about some of Minjerribah’s earlier public art spaces and you’ll discover historic wall art that reflect important social and political developments on the island.
Make sure you head out to the island’s north east to discover two of the Redlands Coast’s most recent public art installations.
Quandamooka artists Belinda Close and Delvene Cockatoo-Collins were inspired by storylines and the living environment when creating place markers at Amity Point (Pulan) and Point Lookout (Mulumba). Delvene’s “Eugaries” at Point Lookout signifies the importance of the eugarie as a food source, while Belinda’s “Mirriginpah” tells the story of the sea eagle.
Stop off at the Point Lookout Community Hall and Library and discover Michael Bulloch’s "Monumental Lab Whale” emerging from the undergrowth on the shore side of the building.
Other local art is on display at Point Lookout at Starfish Studio and at Julie Sisco Photography, part of the Anchorage resort building. There’s so much history, culture and art to take in, not to mention Minjerribah’s naturally wonderful beaches and island lifestyle. You may never want to leave.
Southern Moreton Bay Islands (SMBI) Art Trail
The four islands collectively known as the Southern Moreton Bay Islands are a haven for artists and creatives.
As well as being home to hundreds of talented resident artists, the islands of Macleay (Jencommercha), Karragarra, Lamb (Ngudooroo) and Russell (Canaipa) feature private art collections, galleries and public art installations.
The Redlands Coast Southern Islands Sculpture Trail had its origins in the Girt By Sea outdoor sculpture exhibition and competition in 2016. Prize-winning works by Darren Goleby, Ted Upton and Rod Hammond have been installed on Macleay Island. Other prize-winning works including Mike Van Dam’s “Dolphins” and Christopher Trotter’s “Sonnie Bay Buoy” can be found on the Karragarra Island foreshore.
Other public art sculptures can be found at Russell Island’s Jock Kennedy Park and Lamb Island’s Pioneer Park.
Largely made from natural or recycled materials, expressing a sensitivity to the environment with wit, whimsy and humour, the sculptures make a wonderful addition to the islands and are in keeping with the local character and sense of place.
Macleay Island in particular is an arts lovers’ paradise, with a large number of artists living on the island, creating everything from jewellery and silverware to carved benches, pottery, prints, photographic art, paintings and large indoor and outdoor sculptures.
Visitors can find seriously good exhibitions that change every month, join a silk painting or pottery class and take home artworks - all from the thriving not-for-profit Macleay Island Arts Complex, perched on the foreshore looking back across to Redland Bay.
Ferries run regularly between Weinam Creek Marina at Redland Bay and the four islands. For more information about SMBI Art Trail and other delights of the Redlands Coast, head to visitredlandscoast.com.au
Coochiemudlo Island (Goochie mudlo)
Another option is to take a day trip to by ferry from Victoria Point. Art is everywhere on Coochie, including the new welcome sign created by Quandamooka artist, Delvene Cockatoo-Collins, that includes language developed under the guidance of the Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders.
Coochiemudlo's peaceful atmosphere and stunning views have inspired many artists, as seen at the regular Coochie Markets.
Along the way…
While you can take direct routes to the Redlands Coast, there are also scenic routes from Brisbane and the Gold Coast that feature on the Art Trails.
Enter the Redlands Coast via Capalaba, or take a scenic detour to Wellington Point and you’ll spot many more artistic creations.
A full list of Redlands Coast arts and culture organisations can be found on the Redland Art Gallery Website.