Edith Cowan University has introduced two large-scale public artworks at its new city campus in Perth, placing Noongar cultural narratives at the centre of a major inner-city development.
The works, created by Lea Taylor and Reko Rennie, sit within outdoor spaces across the campus and draw on the cultural, spiritual and ecological history of Boorloo, the Noongar name for Perth. The campus itself is located in Yagan Square, an area with long-standing cultural importance for the Whadjuk Noongar people.
The opening of the artworks coincides with the launch of the ECU City Campus, a project supported by federal and state governments as well as the university. The development is expected to bring around 10,000 students and staff into the central business district, adding to ongoing efforts to increase activity in the city centre.
Taylor’s contribution is embedded into the pavement outside the campus, with etched lines tracing underground waterways believed to continue flowing beneath the modern city. The design references the Waagyl, a creator spirit in Noongar culture associated with water and the shaping of the land. Circular forms within the work point to lakes that once sustained local communities, now hidden beneath urban development.
Rennie’s installation, located along Karak Walk between Yagan Square and Queen Street, takes the form of two large sculptures. Drawing on the tail feathers of native black cockatoos, the works also connect to Lake Goologoolup and its surrounding wetlands, reflecting both environmental and cultural themes.
Both artists worked with guidance from Whadjuk Elders, whose involvement began during the planning stages of the campus. The collaboration aimed to ensure the site reflects the history of the land while also creating a contemporary space for learning and public engagement.
University leadership said the artworks were intended to place cultural narratives within everyday student life, rather than treating them as separate or symbolic additions. The works are positioned in high-traffic areas, making them part of the daily experience for students, staff and visitors.
State and federal representatives have framed the campus as part of a broader push to revitalise Perth’s CBD. The project, valued at $853 million, has been linked to increased foot traffic and a rise in student accommodation developments in the surrounding area.
Supporters argue that integrating public art into the campus strengthens its role as a cultural as well as educational space. Others note that such projects are most effective when accompanied by ongoing engagement with Indigenous communities, rather than one-off installations.
The artworks arrive at a time when universities across Australia are placing greater emphasis on recognising Indigenous knowledge systems and histories. Public art has become one way of reflecting that shift, though its impact often depends on how it is interpreted and maintained over time.
For ECU, the installations are part of a broader effort to connect learning with place. By embedding these works into the campus environment, the university is signalling an approach that links education with local history, culture and community presence, while leaving open the question of how those connections will continue to develop as the precinct grows.
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