City of Darwin will install a kinetic sculpture at Bundilla Beach Reserve that will commemorate the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy.

The kinetic sculpture, Coriolis, is designed to pay respect to the history of Cyclone Tracy and represent the forces of nature affecting the Darwin environment. The theme of Coriolis is ‘momentum capturing the power of wind’. Its movement is dictated by the force of the wind and the sculpture will have expanding and retracting branches that represent themes of growth, resilience and regeneration.

The kinetic sculpture and its surrounds have several intended purposes, including:

• Provide seating and a landscaped space where people can reflect on the impact Cyclone Tracy had on our community.
• Serve to ensure visitors and current and future generations of the community understand the impact Cyclone Tracy had on Darwin and raise awareness of natural phenomena such as cyclones.
• Provide connections to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory and include educational resources and information via QR codes about Cyclone Tracy.
• Provide a place for people to gather near the coast with sunset and sunrise views.

Artist Phil Price was commissioned to create Coriolis as he is the only artist who creates kinetic sculptures that can withstand Darwin’s unique environment, and has designed Coriolis specifically to pay respect to the history of Cyclone Tracy.

In March 2024, the Australian Government announced they would provide $300,000 to City of Darwin for a Cyclone Tracy kinetic sculpture at Bundilla Beach.

City of Darwin is contributing another $300,000 to install the kinetic sculpture at Bundilla Beach.

This kinetic sculpture will be the first of its kind in the Territory, and installation is planned for November 2024.

Through the kinetic sculpture, Coriolis, City of Darwin has pursued a modern and future-facing interpretation of the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Cyclone Tracy and the role this significant event has played in our city’s past, present and future.

More information about Coriolis from artist Phil Price

Nature, its beauty and inspiration are a guiding theme. In this work we are reminded of the duality that nature holds over us, with the ability to enhance our lives, and occasionally of the devastating and immense power it possesses in natural phenomena such as extreme weather cycles.

At the heart of this sculpture is the theme of momentum capturing the power of the wind. The sculpture, the movement of which is dictated by the force of the wind, is an interaction between physical and environmental elements and a reminder of the vagaries and caprice of the elements and the dynamics of the forces at play.

Coriolis , a definition; In physics, the Coriolis force is an inertial (or fictitious) force that acts on objects in motion within a frame of reference that rotates with respect to an inertial frame. This effect is responsible for the rotation and thus formation of cyclones

The sculpture with its’ three expanding and retracting branches represents themes of growth and regeneration, the abstracted forms reference nature in their tree like structure. The coming and going of the sculptural branches is dictated by the wind, the manmade form working with the elements to flourish and grow. The colour of the work references both the deep blue green of the ocean, as well as pays tribute to the Gulumoerrgin (Larrakia), the saltwater people and traditional owners of Darwin. The colour reflects the deep blue green of the ocean, where the sky, sea and sand collide.

The work connects us to the environment through its’ dynamic wind driven movement, here the beauty of the wind is harnessed and tamed. The undulating blue limbs of the sculpture reflect the movement of the waves on the shoreline, sometimes tranquil, sometimes frenetic, at times meditative and calming.

The work allows the viewer to stop and think outside themselves. A tribute to people past, and a beacon of renewal and hope for those that remain.

Key attributes:

• a tribute to those who lived through the cyclone and rebuild of the city.
• a contemporary iconic monument and destination artwork.
• a connection to and with the environment, it is a wind activated kinetic sculpture
• an educational focal point