Ngabu

Climb over this giant Dharawal shell art bridge while taking in the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Walsh Bay is home to some formative stories of Country and First Nations cultural history. From the dreamtime story of Buri-buri the whale; to the many artefacts found in vast middens nearby; through to the first contact story of Patyegarang and William Dawes. Prominent among these stories is the emergence of shell art practices in the nineteenth century. 

Aunty Lola Ryan hails from a lineage of esteemed Dharawal shell artists from La Perouse. She has designed Ngabu (Dharawal language for Nan / Grandmother) in homage to the series of shell harbour bridges created by her mother Lola Delia Ryan which are now found in the collections of our prominent cultural institutions including the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum of Contemporary Art.

With Ngabu, Aunty Lola takes shell art to a new dimension in a giant interactive installation mounted on top of the overhead bridge on Hickson Rd. Climb up and over the arch of Aunty Lola’s bridge and marvel at the giant colourful shell patterns while also taking in the view of our own Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

The Ngabu journey continues via an augmented reality treasure hunt around Walsh Bay. Find the shell icons around the foreshore and with your smartphone unlock a selection of audio and video animations that interpret stories relevant to Walsh Bay. 

• Dates: 17 January to 27 April 2025

• Location: Overhead bridge at corner of Hickson Rd & Pottinger St, Walsh Bay, Sydney NSW 2000, Gadigal Country 

• Free

Presented by Walsh Bay Precinct Association in partnership with Sydney Festival

Accessibility:

Wheelchair access is available to the event via a lift located on the southern apron of Pier 2/3. Please enter Pier 2/3 from Hickson Rd.

Please note that climbing over the artwork itself is not accessible.

Project details:

• Artist: Aunty Lola Ryan 

• Curator: City People 

• Designer: Joey Ruigrok van der Weven 

• AR design: EyeJack 

• Year: 2025 

• Medium: Art installation 

• Location: Overhead bridge at corner of Hickson Rd & Pottinger St, Walsh Bay, Sydney NSW 2000, Gadigal Country 

Image: Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport

Proudly funded by the NSW Government’s Community Improvement District Pilot Program and Uptown Grant Program.

#ngabu