Bundaberg Region Public Art Master Plan Consultation - February 2023

Council is developing Public Art Master Plan and has recently released a Discussion Paper and survey for consultation.

The Public Art Master Plan will be an important document, when complete, as it will be used to assess all public art proposals in the region. This includes the existing and future public artworks in Bargara Headlands, the Yarning Circle and the Bargara Mosaic Trail proposal.

To ensure your voice is heard, please take a few minutes to check out the discussion paper, respond to the on-line survey and most importantly add your comments in Q.3. The easiest way to find the web page is to do a Google search on Bundaberg Regional Council Public Art Master Plan.

We encourage you to please let the Council know in Q3. whether you like the existing artworks (mosaics etc) in the Bargara Headlands Estate and along the coast, and whether you want to see more of these. It would be great if you could include any stories of your and visitor reactions to the artworks and how you believe they effect the community spirit in the area.

The survey closes on 20 February 2023, so don’t miss the opportunity to respond and have your voice heard.

Around 40 people came out today, the 26th February, 2022, to plant trees. 

This is the first planting of Charlotte's Wood, eventually a 130 acre forest. This is a major reforestation project to reclaim an old quarry site.

We plan to plant 3000-5000 trees each year until it is full.

Thanks everyone who came out today, we planted over 1200 trees.
#charlotteswood

What is a Yarning Circle and why do we have one at Bargara Headlands Estate?

Two very good questions. We will try and explain how this structure has come about.

WHAT IS A YARNING CIRCLE?

A Yarning Circle was used commonly by Indigenous tribes and was used for different things according to their traditions. Generally though it was a place where our first nations peoples came to discuss matters and make decisions. It represents a sacred and safe space where people can communicate and work out differences.

WHY AT BARGARA HEADLANDS ESTATE?

The land along this coast originally belonged to the Taribelang - Bunda peoples. Through an association with some of the local descendants of these people, the developer, Bill Moorhead, had a vision of a building them a Yarning Circle on the coast at Bargara Headlands Estate.

Rocks are abundant along our basalt coastline. So Bill decided to celebrate these rocks (some over 10tons)  by using them to build a Yarning Circle. After suggestions from the elders, adjustments were made and the site now feels like its been there forever.

​Bargara Headlands ​

​Moorhead Family Communities Bundaberg Pty Ltd purchased the land that is to become Bargara Headlands 5 years ago. During that time there have been literally dozens of meetings with all levels of government including the Bundaberg Regional Council and State and Federal Government departments.

We have also organized community meetings with adjoining landowners and other interested parties. This has been ongoing right up until now! During that time, numerous changes of design, inclusion of new items and exclusion of other town planning issues have been thoroughly debated in order to get the fantastic design approval that we have today.

We commissioned a digital terrain model to be made by our surveyors covering every square inch of Bargara Headlands from the waterfront to our western boundary and south to Innes Park and north to Bargara town centre. This way we could determine where to place new infrastructure especially roads to best capture glimpses of the Pacific Ocean, hear those rolling waves and feel the cool sea breezes.

Early on we determined that the Community would own the waterfront and coastline. We would only plant local native flora species. This works in nicely with the philosophy of Community, Connection and Environment that we are so passionate about.

It costs a fortune to get where we are today even before we start building roads, sewerage infrastructure, NBN fibre to the Premises, the Turtle Trail and community requested items such as drinking water stations, shelters and so on.

But ……. It’s on now! The main bridge crossing of Kalina Creek will start within days as soon as we have Operational Works approval from the Bundaberg Regional Council. Concrete culverts will be delivered shortly. We have ordered and paid for the Sewerage Pump Station that will service the whole estate. Bill’s two favourite local civil contractors; Gary Gorlick and Mick Hawe, have agreed to do that work and we are thrilled to have them on board again.

Our aim is to provide weekly video updates within a few weeks showing the progress on the ground. Stage one is incredibly exciting and hopefully will sell out before the plans are sealed around about Christmas this year.

So, if you want the best land in Bargara near the waterfront, then please click here and reserve your block with only a fully refundable $1,000 deposit.

Bargara Headlands is developed by Moorhead Family Communities Bundaberg