Wildflowers project
Council in partnership with Castlemaine Art Museum and Buda Historic Home and Garden will commission a public artwork in the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens.
Titled Wildflowers, it will celebrate seven trailblazing women who established the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum in 1913 (now the Castlemaine Art Museum).
The project
Council is investing in commissions which will build the identity, sense of place and pride in our civic spaces.
The Wildflowers project invests developer contributions to deliver an artwork that will ensure the legacy of a previously invisible group of women is made a permanent feature of the shire.
In March 2025, Council invited artists to express their interest in the project, and from over forty applications, a selection panel shortlisted three artists to develop full concepts for consideration.
We are excited to announce that local artist Laura Woodward has been commissioned to create the permanent installation.
Learn more and get involved
Head to our Shape page from to find out more about the project, contribute information on how you use the artwork site, and participate in artist talks and workshops.
Visit the project on Shape
About the First Ladies of Castlemaine Art Musuem
Known as the First Ladies of Castlemaine Art Museum, Mary Leviny, Lilian Sheridan, Alice Waterhouse, Winifred Brotherton, Elsie Barlow, Mary Brough Woolley and Mrs. Cox stood in solidarity for better representation of women in art.
They were instrumental in establishing the town’s first art institute, the Castlemaine Art Gallery and Museum (now known as the Castlemaine Art Museum) and contributed widely to the cultural, social and civic life of the town.
Sarah Frazer, House Curator, Buda Historic Home and Garden talks about the First Ladies of Castlemaine Art Museum.
About Laura Woodward
Laura Woodward is an award-winning Castlemaine-based artist and co-owner of local design and fabrication business, Like Butter
She creates large sculptural installations for exhibitions and public space and has been commissioned to create artworks at public destinations in Melbourne, Docklands, Craigieburn, South Yarra, Elwood and Horsham.
As a mid-career artist Laura has a PhD in sculptural practice and her work has been recognised at a national level, She is also a lecturer at the School of Art at the Victorian College of the Arts, the University of Melbourne.
Project timeline
- Community engagement and artwork design
August to September 2025
- Heritage approvals
September to December 2025
- Artwork fabrication
December 2025 to April 2026
- Artwork launch
April 2026
FAQs
Why is Council investing in public art?
Community feedback consistently tells us that creativity is important to our community. Yet compared to other regions, there is very little art in our streetscapes. We’re responding with new initiatives to grow our public art program.
Public art can capture the cultural heart and identity of our region, and create delight, wonder and conversations in our shared spaces. It increases community and visitor curiosity to seek out more information about our stories, and what makes our region unique.
We value the opportunities that public art brings our local artists, fabricators and suppliers, boosting our local cultural economy. Council’s new public art program will see a range of commissions for emerging and established artists rolling out over the next few years.
Working with our community advisory group, Council’s Public Art Panel we are gradually building local capacity and opportunities for public art.
What is the cost of this artwork?
This artwork is relatively low cost compared to permanent commissioning across Australia.
It is funded by developer contributions (not rates) and represents less than 1% of total infrastructure spend for Council in this financial year.
The artwork will cost $176,600 to install, and will provide 20 years of storytelling, engagement and joy for visitors to the Castlemaine Botanical Gardens.
How was the artist selected?
The artist was selected through a rigorous selection process as below:
Stage One - Expressions of Interest
February 2025 - March 2025
This public art opportunity was advertised nationally and locally through a wide range of media and platforms. The expressions of interest were open to any eligible artists who wished to apply. Applicants were asked to respond to short questions about their working methodology and provide an artist bio, CV and images of their previous work. The submissions were assessed by five panel members including representatives from Castlemaine Art Museum, Buda Historic Home and Gardens and the MASC Public Art Advisory Panel, according to pre-determined criteria.
Stage Two - Shortlist concept development
March 2025
During Stage Two, three shortlisted artist/s (or teams) were invited to develop their artwork proposals in close consultation with Council, CAM and Buda House, and with access to archival material. The Stage two shortlisted artists/teams received a fee of $3800 per concept, to develop their final artwork proposals.
A full curatorial panel including experts and representatives from Castlemaine Art Museum, Buda Historic Home and Gardens, La Trobe Art Institute and the MASC Public Art Advisory Panel reviewed the final concepts by the three shortlisted artists and recommend the final design to Council.