In 2021 we completed a major restoration of our Koori Floor - an important and significant First Nations public artwork on our Turbine Hall floor by Brisbane based Waanyi artist Judy Watson. While keeping the original artwork intact the restoration brought to life the vivid colours and original vision for the floor. It looks amazing and if you haven’t seen the floor before there is no better time to see it in person. It is the first thing you see as you enter Liverpool Powerhouse and we are so pleased to be able to share it for generations to come.

The Koori Floor public art project was conceived by Liverpool City Council Cultural Planner Susan Conroy in 1992. It was Susan's intention that the Liverpool Powerhouse (then Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre) be redeveloped around a series of public artworks built within the fabric of the building. Critically the Koori Floor was created by contemporary Aboriginal artists engaging with the aspirations, values and stories of Aboriginal people from Liverpool and across the region.

Originally created in 1994 and invited by the then Director of the centre John Kirkman, Judy Watson worked on the piece with artists who have since gone on to great international acclaim including Gordon Hookey, Cheryl Robinson, Vivian Scott and Brook Andrew.

The project was supported by the Western Sydney Areas Assistance Scheme, the Federal Department of Employment, Education and Training and Liverpool Council.

To create the Koori Floor, Watson consulted with local community groups, conducted research in local land councils, museums and libraries, visited significant sites in the region, and workshopped ideas with Indigenous children and elders from the area to develop a design for the site. She conducted extensive research with the assistance of elders from the local Gandangarra and Tharawal Land Council to understand the geography and history of the local area and chose the river as the lifeline in her work.

It should also be noted that the work was conceived, designed and created within the political and aesthetic context of the early 1990s. Significant historical events include: the development of formal processes of Reconciliation, the Mabo Decision and the Native Title Act 1993 becoming law. The selection of Judy Watson as project artist was similarly significant, and was done so on the basis of her personal, political and aesthetic connection to Aboriginal Country, place, history, activism and community.

The Koori Floor covers the 600sq metres of the Turbine Hall of Liverpool Powerhouse and is best viewed and appreciated from the upper-level walkway in the Turbine Hall. It was designed to acknowledge the Aboriginal presence on the site that predates the siting of European settlement and the construction and operation of the power station.

It is an artwork that is now viewed as internationally significant and is a fundamental part of the heritage of our city. Liverpool Powerhouse and it’s programs were built on Aboriginal land. Always was, always will be.

https://youtu.be/D9Rvpl8Mmyo

For many years, the tanks outside the Powerhouse have served as a canvas for anyone to graffiti on them. These are legal graffiti walls - so register your name at reception beforehand to ensure you are covered if the police question you.

Scattered across the grounds and woven into the building itself, Liverpool Powerhouse is home to an eclectic and powerful collection of public artworks. From Jill, Eric Aarons’ towering granite tribute to fairytales and feminine strength, to Gordon Hookey’s provocative sculptures exploring Aboriginal identity, satire, and sovereignty, the artworks reflect the cultural and political layers of this unique site. You’ll find a poetic trail of sandstone rocks, a forest of reclaimed power poles in Land/Art Project, and Judy Watson’s Koori Floor, mapping Country beneath your feet. As you walk inside the building, you’ll note installations like Roll Call, Outhouse to Arthouse, and the yellow-crossed beams pay homage to the site’s industrial past. Together, these works animate the Powerhouse as a living, evolving canvas of creativity, memory, and meaning.

The Weaving Garden at Liverpool Powerhouse is a serene outdoor space that brings together culture, community, and nature. Nestled near the Georges River, it plays a key role in restoring the endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland while providing a place for creative and cultural expression. The garden regularly hosts workshops, including traditional weaving led by First Nations artists, offering a meaningful space for connection, storytelling, and learning. It reflects the Powerhouse’s commitment to environmental care, Indigenous knowledge, and inclusive, hands-on creativity.