ROSEHILL PACKET BOAT SCULPTURE

Hanging in the largest commercial building in Parramatta, 6 Parramatta Square, is a sculptural representation of the Rosehill Packet, the first European built boat in Australia. It filled an important role frying goods and people from Sydney Cove to Parramatta.

In 2020, the commission by Walker Corporation to design a sculpture for the building provided an opportunity to introduce an aspect of history into a modern building.

Very little was known about the boat as no plans existed, but extensive research yielded fascinating results; British museums and archives, along with Australian institutions, enable me to be fairly sure of its appearance, along with the names of the builder and his 10 convict helpers.

After many iterations, the final design was submitted to the workshop at Di Emme, where the sculpture was brought to life.

Over 12 months, I collaborated with artisan sculptors, engineers and lighting experts. During this period, the knowledge and assistance of a veteran boatbuilder was invaluable in ensuring the accuracy of many aspects of the boat sculpture.