GUUL ABAA

Construction has begun on the final piece of significant infrastructure for the tourism precinct known as Guulabaa – Place of Koala in Cowarra State Forest.

“The Hub”, the central visitor area at Guulabaa, has been designed as four decks that will float amongst the forest. Greeted by the Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Council run Café on the first deck, visitors will be able to enter the Koala Conservation Australia’s (Port Macquarie Koala Hospital) facilities or sit looking over The Big Koala with a coffee.

The second deck is the entry into Wildnets Adventure where you can walk straight into the forest canopy or continue onto the third deck to look at local art in the Bunyah Gallery. The last deck is a large open area where visitors enjoy the view of the forest canopy and maybe spot a Koala. Kathy, tell us about the The Hub at Guulabaa?

“The Hub” takes shape. A unique building at Guulabaa, Place of Koala, Cowarra State Forest, Port Macquarie. We catch up with Kathy Lyons from Forestry Corporation and Ken McBryde, the Architect from Gensler to hear about this unique piece of architecture.

We’ve been designing The Hub for the past year and had the vision, with Ken, to create a signature piece of architecture. The Hub will be the heart of Guulabaa where visitors come to connect with all the partners that have supported this wonderful project.

Sustainability is a key theme we want to share with the visitors to Guulabaa and we’re excited that The Hub will be built from climate friendly, locally grown and manufactured hardwood timbers.

Ken, why is this project important to you?

This ecotourism and education project is helping bring back our Australian icon, the koala, from its dangerous status as a threatened species.

The Guulabaa project holds a very special place in our hearts at Gensler. This ecotourism and education project is helping bring back our Australian icon, the koala, from its dangerous status as a threatened species. At Guulabaa, wild koalas will soon be bred for release into the wildthe first of its kind. It is a privilege for us to work with these unique project partners, collaborating to make such important contributions to ecological, cultural and economic sustainability. We cannot think of another project that offers the design team such remarkable learning opportunities and the formation of lifelong friendships.

Kathy, Can you talk about how local culture will be celebrated at Guulabaa?

We are fortunate that Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Council are a key partner at Guulabaa. Visitors will be able to have lunch at the Bunyah Café and visit the Birpai Art Gallery on The Hub. Together, we are planning to bring language and cultural experiences into the forest.

The vision is to manage this forest combining new and old ways, First Nations Peoples’ traditional knowledge and contemporary evidence-based science. Visitors will come to the forest for the koalas and after experiencing Guulabaa will leave committed to the contribution they have to sustainability and caring for country.

Ken, The Hub has been designed using local timber, why is that important?

We are supporting North Coast communities by designing with locally sourced forest hardwood products, drawing upon innovative expertise in manufacturing, and local construction skills.

Building from local hardwoods is environmentally sustainable because our hardwood forests are fully renewable. This reduces embodied carbon when compared to importing other materials such as steel and concrete from a distance.

Kathy, can you tell us about the partners involved in building The Hub?

Guulabaa is a partnership between many organisations and we are grateful for all the support. The development of Guulabaa is the result of investment from the key partners of Guulabaa, NSW Government through the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Package and Forestry Corporation.

We have also worked closely with the local timber industry to design this beautiful building. It’s great to see our local timber partners - Big River Group, Coffs Harbour Hardwoods, Machin’s Sawmilling, Hayden Timbers, Hurfords, Pentarch Forestry and Weathertex supporting this project that’s integral to building local visitor economies and sustainable tourism. It’s where we want to be.

Daniel Hend is an artist who is best known for his incredible large scale murals and surreal painting style. He is currently living on the Mid North Coast and has painted murals in suburbs from Queensland and NSW down to Victoria and even Tassie.

Since then I’ve held multiple exhibitions, won competitions, completed over 100 murals, painted at festivals, live events and charity events.

Can you tell us about the early days of you as an artist, what mediums you used and how you’ve progressed over the years?

I was always creative as a child whether it be carving wood, drawing, painting or creating little sculptures. At the age of 9 my father, Len Hend, taught me how to paint Australian landscapes in an incredibly fast style. I spent many weekends painting and selling my landscape paintings around the streets and markets of the Byron Shire as a child and teenager. After dropping out of school I went to Mullumbimby Community College and completed a Cert 3 in Visual Arts and it was there I was introduced to many other mediums, styles and techniques. I developed the beginnings of my surrealist style and got into a lot of black and white illustrations and screen printing.

AT THE AGE OF 9 MY FATHER, LEN HEND, TAUGHT ME HOW TO PAINT AUSTRALIAN LANDSCAPES IN AN INCREDIBLY FAST STYLE.

I have delved into many styles over the years but painting surrealism is my most favoured and expressive style. What inspired you to start creating murals? My father was offered a mural job and passed it onto me at the age of 19. The mural went well. I enjoyed being able to utilise my skills to make good money. A lot of the mural jobs I really enjoy but some jobs can be quite tedious.

I really enjoy painting Australian flora and fauna. I like to think that these murals can remind people of their love of the natural environment and maybe even evoke some conservational changes. Continued over...

Can you describe your creative process when creating a new mural?

When I’m creating a new mural my process is relatively simple. I will clean the wall and then add my initial background colours. From there I sketch in the appropriate subject matters with chalk outlining a whale, mountain, trees, or a river.

After this I begin filling in more details usually going over twice with an initial detailing, then a refined detailing.

The techniques and application of paint do vary quite a lot with the subject matter.

How do you choose the subject matter and colour scheme for each of your works?

For each mural,myself and the client have to agree upon the subject matter. A lot of the time I won’t have to do any sketching prior to this. The colour is loosely discussed within the agreement, unless they are quite particular then I will spend more time to ensure the palate is suitable to them. Usually the client has ideas and I add and/or change them to fit their space and budget. Most clients are trusting towards my abilities as an artist and this allows me to work best without too much pressure overhead. The subject matter is paramount, the colour choices must follow along in suit to create a realistic and aesthetic piece of art.

The only challenge I’ve found with working on larger murals is ensuring the perspective is right and that the subject matter fits to scale. There’s a lot of hard work involved but I love that about the big jobs.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face when creating large-scale murals, and how do you overcome them?

The only challenge I’ve found with working on larger murals is ensuring the perspective is right and that the subject matter fits to scale. There’s a lot of hard work involved but I love that about the big jobs.

Can you tell us about a particularly memorable piece you’ve created and what it meant to you?

A particularly memorable mural I’ve done was on a rather large wall stretching 9 metres high and 35 metres wide.

The wall is located on Rudman Parade in Burleigh Heads Queensland at my brother’s house. My brother’s nickname is Chicken Tim and we decided it would be a bit of fun to paint a 6 metre tall chicken chasing a T-Rex that was carrying a huge chicken egg. Although intended as a joke, I guess it’s also slightly sentimental as me and Tim have always been fond of chickens.

How do you work with clients and communities to ensure that your murals are a reflection of the people and places they represent?

With most public murals I talk and work with clients to ensure my murals reflect the area and people. By organising meetings and collaborating with locals, being shown around the town and local environment, meeting with elders to hear their stories and learn of their culture and speaking with historical societies to access historical photos. I can come to a town and paint a mural for the people, but without local people collaborating with me it wouldn’t have as clear a reflection upon the area. The gratitude within this process I feel is mutual.

How do you think the role of public art, specifically murals, can impact a community?

I understand that murals can have a significant impact on a community. Murals can bring people together and create a sense of belonging. They can also beautify areas that might otherwise be neglected or overlooked, which can improve the overall quality of life in the community. Additionally, murals can raise awareness of important issues, making them a powerful tool for social change. Ultimately, public art can make a community more vibrant, uplifted and engaged.

What are your future goals as an artist, and what projects are you currently working on?

My goals for this year and the next are to continue painting murals while travelling Australia (maybe even travelling internationally for work).

I’m hoping to secure more large-scale commissions and work with more wildlife parks. I’ve recently finished a large black and white mural of a large ship and kraken on the ocean that stretches through 25 metres of the Cambus Wallace Bar on the Gold Coast. I have some more commissions to complete in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast then I’m back to Melbourne and Sydney for more work again.

I’ll hopefully get some spare time to sit back and finish off some old surrealist canvas pieces I haven’t yet finished off. I have no solid plans as of yet, but within the next few years I’m hoping to have another exhibition.

Where can people follow along with your art journey?

The best place to check out my work or get in touch is on Instagram @danielhendartist Thanks Daniel.

Australian Aviation started to find its feet in the early 1920’s and Coffs Harbour shared in its own piece of history making when a Blériot Experimental 2E landed at the Jetty beach area in June 1920.

Eight years later Council discussed the need for an airport to service the region, and funding to improve the grass runway was approved two years later.

Fast forward to today and Coffs Harbour Airport is one of the busiest regional airports in the country and continues to lead the way as a major economic enabler of the region.

Passenger numbers and airline partners on the rise.

Given that Coffs Harbour is situated halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, is at the footstep of the picturesque Dorrigo National Park, a part of the spectacular Great Dividing Range, has pristine beaches and plenty for visitors to do, it is little wonder that airport passenger numbers are increasing.

The airport is expecting more than 300,000 passengers to pass through it’s doors this year, as the recovery from COVID accelerates, brought about by new routes, more services and airline partners. However, it’s not just passengers the airport is attracting. With bold plans to grow and develop the airport over the coming years, Rex Airlines commenced services between Coffs Harbour and Sydney in 2021, consistently growing these services until now and Australia’s newest low-cost airline, Bonza is set to commence flights between Coffs Harbour and the Sunshine Coast on 20 April this year.

Coffs Harbour Airport General Manager, Frank Mondello said, “Coffs Harbour is a regional city that punches way above it’s weight. Not only do we attract the leisure traveller and tourist, but we also attract people who are travelling for business and those who are coming here for major sporting events.

“Carriers like Qantas, Rex, Link Airways and Bonza are creating exciting travel options for our regional visitors making Coffs Harbour the perfect destination to holiday all year round.”

Greater connectivity

Coffs Harbour welcomes in excess of 1.6 million visitors each year making tourism an important industry for the region, but tourism is not the only reason people need to fly in and out of the airport.

There are just over 6,500 businesses in the Coffs Harbour LGA, with construction, professional services, healthcare and agricultural sectors continuing to thrive.

“We are seeing a steady demand for air travel from within our business community,” Mr Mondello said.

“By offering more services, to places like Sydney, which is a route serviced by Qantas and Rex, we are getting a really good spread of flight times throughout the day, giving passengers more options than ever before.

“It is one thing to have the connectivity but being able to facilitate a passenger’s need to travel at a time that suits them is one step better – it makes choosing to fly for business or pleasure so much easier and that is at the heart of what we are trying to create at Coffs Harbour Airport,” Mr Mondello said.

Building on a better future

Coffs Harbour Airport is a major economic enabler for the region, facilitating opportunities for local business, tourism, freight, and agriculture. However, when you scratch the surface, you realise that the impact an airport has on it’s region runs much deeper as it connects communities, facilitates social connections, and benefits many of the industries within it’s region.

“Whether it is passenger numbers or goods being transported in the belly hold of the plane, Coffs Harbour Airport has a connection to nearly everyone who lives or works in the region,” Mr Mondello said.

“Not only does the airport support many of our major industries but the ripple effect can be felt across the whole community. From the people who travel, those that we employ and the services we engage, as part of running the day-to-day business – we touch everyone one way or another and as a result the whole region benefits.”

One of the major projects underway at Coffs Harbour Airport is the development of the 43-hectare Enterprise Park precinct. When complete, Enterprise Park will house a variety of businesses, attract investment, and create opportunities that will continue to attract talent to the region.

Mr Mondello said, “We are about to embark on a really exciting time for Coffs Harbour Airport. The creation of Enterprise Park will deliver a precinct of different businesses, and importantly it is only five minutes to the heart of the Coffs Harbour CBD.”

Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, Coffs Harbour Airport has something for everyone. Flying to or from most major cities can be done quickly and easily and for regional travellers, the broad variety of regional routes serviced out of Coffs Harbour Airport has made it the east coast’s epicentre for regional air travel - where the promise of better connectivity is delivered today. Visit coffsharbourairport.com. au to find out more.