Barangaroo South Sustainability Report 2021 - 2023

A Vibrant Fever of Eagle Rays call the canopy of Exchange Square Home The importance of storytelling and connection to place is an integral part of Barangaroo South’s cultural and social sustainability vision. In the last 12 months, the precinct has added to an already thriving permanent public art collection with a stunning array of new, thought-provoking, visually stunning works that create more ways to connect, contemplate and explore the rich, creative contribution of our First Nations peoples. Lendlease commissioned Ghost Net Collective t o create a permanent public artwork for Exchange Square. Mermer Waiskeder: Stories of the Moving Tide features 11 eagle rays, meticulously hand-stitched with colourful ghost nets covering aluminium frames each measuring 2.8 metres in width. The sculptures are illuminated at night from within and suspended against projections of rippling water, creating a fully immersive underwater effect across the square as the rays glide elegantly overhead, conveying the impression of a fever of rays swimming in the shallows. Ghost Net Collective, a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists and volunteers from Cairns, Townsville and Erub in the Torres Strait are renowned for making creative use of harmful fishing nets, known as ‘ghost nets’, that have been abandoned, lost or discarded in the ocean and washed up on beaches all around the world. This collaboration involved Indigenous women and non-Indigenous volunteers from diverse locations including the Torres Strait Islands, Cairns, Townsville, and even Canada. Curated by Nina Miall, each eagle ray has its own name and symbolises different aspects of Indigenous culture, environmental journey, and the unique ties between land and water in the Barangaroo area. The project aligns seamlessly with Lendlease’s Public Art and Culture Plan, aimed at enhancing Barangaroo South through art, solidifying Barangaroo as a place which inspires people and is a celebrated cultural destination. It also serves Lendlease’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which emphasises collaboration with Indigenous businesses. Importantly, this initiative has a strong sustainability story. The project seeks to shed light on the implications of ghost nets to the worlds oceans and highlight the importance of marine conservation by placing the issue in the heart of the city. By uniting art, cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship, this collaboration achieves multiple aims: it adds aesthetic value to Barangaroo South, supports Indigenous art and businesses, and promotes sustainability—core values Lendlease continually strives to uphold to uphold. 74 Sustainability Report 2021–23 Barangaroo South SHAPING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE