Maryborough Story Trail
The Maryborough Story Trail was developed in response to an opportunity to add significant cultural value to a major infrastructure project by the Fraser Coast Regional Council in Maryborough, Queensland. Rather than viewing the project solely through a civil and infrastructure lens, Nicole worked with Council’s Cultural Services and civil teams, project managers, architects, heritage specialists and the community to imagine how the redevelopment could become a meaningful cultural experience for both residents and visitors.
At the heart of the project was a simple but powerful idea: Maryborough’s stories matter.
Maryborough has a rich and layered history, from its beginnings as a port town through to the many significant, everyday and deeply personal stories that have shaped the community. Through extensive community engagement, people expressed a strong desire to see these stories shared and celebrated. Co-design and collaboration were therefore central to the development of the Story Trail, ensuring the stories, creative elements and ways of interpreting the town were informed by the people who know Maryborough best.
Nicole led the project management and creative development of the trail, bringing together a diverse range of public art, infrastructure and storytelling elements. The result was a multi-layered experience incorporating footpath redevelopment, community mosaics, large-scale murals and street art, bronze sculptures, multimedia installations and theatrical storytelling.
Building Regional Creative Capability
A defining feature of the project was its commitment to regional artists and creative career development. Local and regional artists were commissioned to develop concepts for the trail, with Nicole then connecting these artists with established and highly regarded artists from across Australia.
These relationships provided opportunities for mentorship, knowledge sharing and skills development, enabling regional artists to work alongside experienced practitioners and strengthen their creative practice. The intention was not simply to deliver a successful public art project, but to build the capability of the region’s creative sector so that local artists could continue to contribute to future projects and develop sustainable creative careers.
Nicole also brought well-known Australian artists to Maryborough to deliver large-scale street art and mural works, deliberately involving local artists in the development and delivery of these projects. This approach increased opportunities for regional artists to gain practical experience, build professional networks and access future employment within the public art sector.
Community as Creators
Community participation was embedded throughout the trail, rather than being treated as an engagement exercise that happened alongside the project.
Nicole developed a concept that enabled local community members to come together to create a series of mosaics reflecting their own stories and connections to Maryborough. These artworks were then incorporated into the newly redeveloped footpaths.
The mosaic project transformed what could otherwise have been a disruptive infrastructure process into something the community actively anticipated and participated in. Footpath closures and construction became an opportunity for people to gather, create and leave a permanent mark on their town. The result was both a successful creative project and a powerful example of how infrastructure can be used to create lasting community outcomes.
Storytelling Through Technology
The Story Trail also introduced multimedia storytelling into Maryborough’s public spaces. A series of multimedia screens were installed, providing opportunities for visitors to engage with theatrical experiences and hear the stories of Maryborough brought to life through film and performance.
Nicole worked with regional creative practitioners, including a regional playwright, to develop these storytelling experiences, creating another layer of interpretation that encouraged visitors to see the town through the eyes and voices of its storytellers.
Alongside the digital experiences, bronze artworks brought stories into the streets in playful, engaging and unexpected ways, creating moments of discovery for visitors as they moved through the trail.
Activating Underutilised Spaces
A key objective of the Maryborough Story Trail was to revitalise underutilised and overlooked spaces throughout the CBD, transforming alleyways, vacant shopfronts and areas that had become hotspots for tagging and illegal graffiti into vibrant, welcoming places for the community. The project used public art as a catalyst for this transformation, commissioning artists to create large-scale murals and street art that brought colour, creativity and renewed purpose to these spaces. Local high school students were actively involved in the development and delivery of selected artworks, creating opportunities for young people to contribute to the visual identity of their town and build a stronger sense of ownership, pride and connection to the CBD. The project also incorporated improved lighting, pop-up events, educational talks and creative workshops, ensuring the spaces were not simply visually transformed but actively used by the community. This combination of creative activation, youth engagement, improved amenity and increased activity contributed to a significant reduction in tagging and illegal street graffiti, while helping to create a greater sense of safety and connection throughout the CBD. The project demonstrated how strategic investment in public art and creative activation can transform neglected urban spaces into places that people want to visit, use and care for.
A Cultural Tourism Experience with Lasting Impact
Delivered over two years, the Maryborough Story Trail brought together infrastructure, public art, community participation, creative industries, technology, heritage and storytelling to create a highly visible and multi-layered cultural tourism experience.
Nicole’s role extended across the full life of the project — from concept development and community engagement through to artist commissioning, creative development, mentorship, stakeholder coordination and delivery. She worked extensively with regional artists, Australian artists, architects, civil contractors, subcontractors, Council teams, community representatives, local media, funding bodies and heritage organisations to bring the project together.
The Maryborough Story Trail demonstrates how a significant infrastructure investment can become much more than a physical redevelopment. Through thoughtful collaboration and creative leadership, it became an opportunity to tell local stories, strengthen regional creative capability, engage the community and create a distinctive visitor experience.
Today, the Story Trail has become an iconic part of the Maryborough landscape — a living collection of stories woven through the streets of the town, inviting both locals and visitors to pause, explore and experience Maryborough in new and unexpected ways.