Outside the police station on Bowra Street, dolphins, fish and an octopus rise from concrete waves in what may be Australia's longest sculpture. Locals know it by two names: "Fish and Chips" and "The River."
Gaze into its swirling story of a river winding from the Great Dividing Range, through towns and farmland to the sea, and you might find yourself remembering your nanna's favourite teacups.
Led by artist Guy Crosley, this creative public art project stretches along nearly 60 metres of footpath. Local artists, volunteers, school children and TAFE Outreach art students helped scour the district for distinctive tiles, pottery, china and knickknacks. Ceramics and objects donated or made by artists locally and from around the world were used to build every piece. Work began in 1996 and was completed in 2000.
The mosaic is a stylised map of the area. Sharks, whales, rays and schools of fish travel from the deep sea through tiled waves into Smoky Cape Bay, past the headlands and river mouth, then along the river to Macksville and over the hills and forests beyond.
Look closer and you'll find a darker undercurrent. A large drunken octopus clutches three pigs, monsters lurk offshore, and a rainbow serpent wraps around a gold-topped mushroom where people wait for a magic bus.
Information
Website
Bowra St, Nambucca Heads, New South Wales, 2448
Address
Phone
Need some inspiration to help you decide?
Don’t worry - we’ve got you covered!
