Maryborough Story Bank – Cultural Tourism & Creative Interpretation

The Fraser Coast Regional Council undertook an ambitious project to reimagine a significant heritage building within the Maryborough CBD — the birthplace of P.L. Travers, author of Mary Poppins , as a vibrant storytelling experience.

The result was the Maryborough Story Bank, an immersive cultural tourism destination that shares the story of Mary Poppins and P.L. Travers while encouraging visitors to engage with the broader art and possibilities of storytelling. Rather than simply presenting the history of the building and its famous former resident, the Story Bank was designed to create a sense of curiosity, delight and discovery.

The project has since become an important example of the role cultural tourism can play in regional development, creating a destination that draws visitors into the Maryborough CBD while celebrating the region's creative and cultural identity.

Nicole was commissioned by Fraser Coast Regional Council to contribute to the development of a number of displays within the Story Bank, particularly those requiring the involvement of local and regional artists.

Drawing on her extensive experience working with artists across the Fraser Coast, Nicole acted as a bridge between the Council's broader vision and the creative process. She worked closely with regional artists to develop a range of visual arts experiences that responded to specific stories within the Story Bank and brought them to life in creative, engaging and accessible ways.

A key strength Nicole brought to the project was her ability to work comfortably across both the creative and corporate environments. She understands the creative process and the needs of artists, while also understanding the requirements of government projects, project managers and organisational stakeholders.

This was particularly important in a complex, site-specific heritage project where creative outcomes needed to be imaginative and engaging, but also meet very practical requirements. Nicole worked with artists to develop concepts that were high quality and purpose-fit, while ensuring they responded to the physical constraints of the building, project deadlines, installation requirements and the overarching interpretive vision for the Story Bank.

The result was a collection of creative experiences that helped transform individual stories into something visitors could see, feel and engage with.

For Nicole, the project demonstrated the value of bringing artists into cultural tourism projects not simply as makers, but as storytelling partners. By combining strong creative practice with strategic thinking, stakeholder management and an understanding of regional context, she helped ensure the contribution of local artists was meaningful to both the artists involved and the overall visitor experience.

The Maryborough Story Bank is an example of how heritage, storytelling, creative practice and tourism can intersect to create something that is not only culturally significant, but also contributes to the identity, vibrancy and economic development of a regional community.