Bundanon Trust: $33m Riversdale cultural facility construction underway
Tucked into the serene green hills west of Nowra, construction is about to begin on a multimillion-dollar gallery project to house the collection of one of Australia’s most revered artists. SEE THE PLANS, FIND OUT THE OPENING DATE.
The South Coast News
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The $33 million museum project built to house the $43 million art collection of one of Australia’s most revered artists is about to begin.
Bundanon Trust announced construction firm ADCO has been appointed to undertake the construction of its blockbuster cultural facility at the Riversdale site which will be ready to kick off within weeks.
Riversdale will hold the works of leading Australian painter Arthur Boyd who died in 1999 and who in 1993 bequeathed his collection, featuring 1200 works of his own plus 1300 of his notable contemporaries, to the Australian Government through the Bundanon Trust.
Earlier this year, the collection came under real threat from the bushfires which ravaged the surrounding bushland and forced the Trust to evacuate works to safety in Sydney.
Trust chief executive Deborah Ely said: “We are really looking forward to bringing back our $43 million art collection to the site and to welcoming Shoalhaven residents, who have been our greatest supporters, to the new facility at the end of next year, along with tourists from all over Australia and the world.”
The new cultural facility, about 20km west of Nowra, will feature a light-filled contemporary gallery designed to rest within the landscape itself and a bridge structure to link it to a public plaza.
Dining options, education spaces and accommodation for 64 people also feature.
The business case for the project insists that once complete it will bring in an additional $10 million in income to the local economy annually and generate 69 ongoing jobs.
Modelling for the project suggests visitation will increase by 80 per cent with 54 per cent of visitors staying in the Shoalhaven region overnight.
During construction the works are expected to provide 171 jobs.
Kiama state Liberal MP Gareth Ward, who helped to secure $8.5 million from the NSW Regional Cultural Fund, said the state and Commonwealth were thrilled to partner with Bundanon Trust to see the “momentous” project come to life.
“It’s undoubtedly another destination where people will come to see, to take in the vision that Arthur and Yvonne Boyd had when they provided that extraordinary generous gift to the nation in 1993.”
While announcing the formalised partnership between Bundanon Trust and ADCO, Mr Ward said Bundanon had also secured $50,000 for its ‘Fireworks’ program.
“It’s a program that engages Aboriginal young people and also scientists and Aboriginal elders in art that’s involving fire. All of the educational work that Bundanon does is incredibly successful. I couldn’t think of a better investment than connecting Aboriginal people with culture through art.”
At the contract announcement on Friday, Gilmore federal Labor MP Fiona Phillips said the joint project, which received $22.3 million in Federal Government funding, will be a “wonderful” addition the area for many years to come.
“Coming into this brilliant serene area and seeing the work is just amazing,” she said.
Early excavation works onsite have been undertaken by Shoalhaven company Jervis Bay Group (JBG).
As their work continued, the shape of new roads and carparks, a footbridge over the creek and the enormous space for the subterranean gallery has emerged.
Construction of the new gallery and creative learning centre will begin in July with an anticipated completion date of October 2021.
The Trust’s historical house and artist-in-residence complex will remain open throughout the construction period.