Giants of Mandurah

In 2022, during the Noongar season of Kambarang, six colossal figures emerged from the wetlands of Mandjoogoordap/Mandurah and the leafy surrounds of Wandaraguttagurrup/Subiaco, forming the first Giants trail in the Southern Hemisphere. Created by world-renowned Danish artist Thomas Dambo, the project was shaped in consultation with Bindjareb Elders, who guided the integration of local lore with Dambo's recycled-wood artistry to create a profound intersection of the Bindjareb Creation Story and his global watercycle narrative.

Mandurah is situated in globally significant, Ramsar-listed wetlands; it is also a place of intense water-based recreation, which can clash with environmental sensitivities. Culturally, the connection and Custodianship of the Bindjareb Noongar Traditional Owners with this Country is very strong, though perhaps not widely appreciated outside of the immediate area. As Australia’s second fastest growing regional city, Mandurah has also experienced social problems associated with high levels of disadvantage and below-average education outcomes.  

This imaginative, large-scale cultural tourism project incentivised visitation, elevated environmental awareness and provided avenues to address some of these opportunities. Importantly, it brought a post-COVID economic and tourism boost to the area, and to Perth as the gateway to Western Australia. As a family-friendly, open air, self-guided, art-based installation, it also encouraged people to get out into nature and walk the trails, with the attendant benefits to health and wellbeing. To further entice repeat visitation, Dambo deliberately designed the installation as a game: a playful, subtle way of exposing visitors to all the Giant sites. Visitors collect “clues” from five Giants, put them into a special “codebreaker” and only then can the sixth be found.

‍giantsofmandurah.com.au