Palm Island community push back against proposed art project

Palm Island residents say a controversial Museum of Underwater Arts installation could inappropriately represent their culture. Find out the latest move.

Plans for a new Museum of Underwater Arts installation planned for a Palm Island bay has been scrapped after residents called for the project to be abandoned.

Dr Lynore Geia, a health professional who comes from Palm Island, was an early critic of the proposed underwater art exhibit, but said the push to stop the installation was a whole community effort.

“There was a couple of things that we were concerned about, particularly the designs, but also the level of consultation that the Museum of Underwater Arts undertook on Palm,” Dr Geia said.

“It was insufficient and it really didn’t meet the needs of the Palm Island people, particularly, the Bwgcolman people who are a majority of the population on the island.”

Dr Geia said concerns had been raised multiple times with MOUA’s board about how the consultation process had been handled, but also the designs of the proposed statues themselves.

“Particularly the designs of heads, that caused quite a bit of stress because that’s just not part of our cultural art-forms. People felt that if those heads resembled people they could recognise and that person passed away, then it would be very inappropriate to have that image sitting there constantly.”

Dr Geia said the location that had been nominated to host the art exhibit, close to Challenger Bay, was of tremendous cultural importance.

“That’s where the original old people came to Palm Island and a lot of significant community memories were made on that beach,” she said.

In a statement Museum of Underwater Art Board Chair Paul Victory said the organisation was “disappointed” to not proceed with the planned installation.

The organisation withdrew its permit application for the installation of underwater sculptures created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor after pushback from the Manbarra Elders Counsel.

“While MOUA had a strong partnership with some entities on Palm Island including traditional owner families at the Manbarra Aboriginal Corporation, the Palm Island Art Centre and Rainbow Gateway Centre, it has not been able to satisfy all issues raised by the Manbarra Elders Counsel (MEC) and MOUA and the GBRMPA acknowledges the importance of the Elders’ approvals in this project.”

Dr Geia said the residents of Palm Island were not opposed to tourism, but said consultation processes had to start earlier, and involve input from locals from the first step.

“We want to be part of the partnership and be consulted properly. We’re not in favour of people coming in with ideas and saying this would be a good idea, we think you should have this,” she said.

A community circulated petition garnered more than 700 signatures.

“It’s really a victory for them. I’m very grateful for them and I’d like to acknowledge their effort and commitment, which was a great thing,” Dr Geia said.

Originally published as Palm Island community push back against proposed art project