Bennelong Point Will Soon Be Home to a Stunning New Artwork Honouring Australia's First Nations People

The Royal Botanic Garden will soon be home to a major new work by Aboriginal artist Judy Watson, which will grace the Tarpeian Precinct Lawn overlooking Bennelong Point.

Just a couple of weeks after the Sydney Opera House unveiled a new series of First Nations artworks as part of its nightly Badu Gili light show, Lord Mayor Clover Moore and Governor David Hurley have announced plans for Watson's piece, bara.

Honouring the the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — specifically the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation — the six-metre-tall piece is inspired by and named after the crescent-shaped fish hooks historically crafted and used by Gadigal women. With its curves and shimmering finish, the sculpture is also reminiscent of gleaming seashells, the harbour's natural coves and those iconic Opera House sails.

Watson's striking piece is the fourth addition to the Eora Journey, a seven-part public art program created alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Panel, aimed at cementing First Peoples stories within Sydney's contemporary landscape.

"Our community has made clear that they wanted meaningful recognition of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories in the public domain," the Lord Mayor said in a press release. "The artwork's prominent position overlooking Sydney Harbour reflects the cultural significance of this site and the deep connection of Gadigal people to Country."

bara is slated to be completed by mid-2020.