Great Southern Rail Trail Site-Responsive Sculptural Installation

South Gippsland Shire Council is seeking an artist or arts collective to design and deliver a site-responsive sculptural installation for the Great Southern Rail Trail (GSRT).

This public art call-out is part of South Gippsland Shire Council’s GSRT Activation Project, funded by the Victorian Government, intended to connect and activate the environmental, creative, cultural and tourism aspects of the GSRT. The GSRT Activation Project involves a series of initiatives, including new biodiversity signage and brochures for the Trail, a new running event, and this public art project, together celebrating and highlighting the significant value of the Trail.

Council is commissioning a site-responsive work that communicates to users of the Trail the environmental value or a specific character of the site. This Expression of Interest (EOI) is intended for artists to register their interest in the project through a simple application process. Applicants will be shortlisted to three, each of whom will be paid $1000 to develop their designs.

The three submitted designs will be assessed by a panel, and a successful artist or arts collective engaged to deliver the artwork.

The project site sits within a rich and diverse ecosystem, featuring the endangered Strzelecki Gum. This area is also host to the Koonwarra Fossil Bed, a prehistoric site of world significance, featuring ferns, flowers, fleas, fish, and feathers.

SGSC is offering artists the free use of up to 8 x 4m logs of debarked Messmate (Eucalyptus obliqua) and Peppermint Gum (Eucalyptus radiata) for use, if desired. These logs were collected from Mirboo North after a destructive storm tore through the town in February 2024. Transportation costs of the logs to be negotiated with SGSC in the shortlisted design phase.

Council welcomes applications from local and non-local creatives, however where applications are assessed to be of the same calibre, artists who either live or run a business in South Gippsland Shire will be preferred.

Submit an EOI 

Applicant Availability

Please note that shortlisted applicants will be required to attend two project briefings to inform the development of their designs:

• Initial briefing in the week of 9 February 2026 (in person or online)
• Site visit in the week of 16 February 2026 (in person)

The three submitted designs will then be assessed by a panel and the successful contract awarded on March 18, 2026.

It is important to note that all public art works in association with this project must be completed by June 5, 2026. 

Assessment Criteria

• Capacity to deliver high quality 3D artwork

• Experience designing/ delivering 3D site-specific work for external environment

• South Gippsland resident/business (preferred)

Budget for Commissioned Artwork

The budget is $65,000.00 and is to include: 

• Design, material costs, fabrication, transportation, and installation of the artwork
• Associated engineering costs
• Appropriate insurance cover and licences
• Artist’s accommodation and travel

Timeline