Andy Goldsworthy, Strangler Cairn

Conondale National Park, Queensland
Commissioned by the Queensland Government | Curated by Blue Sky View

Public art has the power to deepen our connection with place, and Strangler Cairn, by internationally renowned artist Andy Goldsworthy, is a profound example of this in the Australian landscape. Located deep within the Conondale National Park along the Great Walk trail, this monumental work is both a sculptural intervention and a long-term ecological statement.

Commissioned through the Queensland Government’s Art + Place program and curated by Blue Sky View, the project brought together art, environment, and public experience in a unique and enduring way. Built from hand-cut granite sourced locally, the spiralling cairn cradles a living strangler fig, planted by Goldsworthy himself. Over decades, the tree will grow to envelop and transform the sculpture, symbolising a slow, inevitable collaboration between human creativity and natural forces.

Blue Sky View worked closely with the artist, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, and a range of project stakeholders to deliver this ambitious destination environmental artwork. The site’s remoteness demanded sensitive planning and logistical coordination to ensure both artistic and environmental integrity.

Strangler Cairn embodies Goldsworthy’s philosophy of place-responsive art. It invites reflection on the relationships between time, transformation, and the land itself, reinforcing the role of public art in shaping cultural identity and fostering environmental awareness.