Cultural Heritage Management, Arts, Interpretation and Visitor Experience Design Services

Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council invites tenders from suitably qualified and experienced consultants to provide Cultural Heritage Management, Arts, Interpretation and Visitor Experience Design Services across three Council capital projects:

Indigenous and Arts Installation Precinct (Beachfront Cultural Walk) – Cultural heritage management, cultural engagement, arts curation, artwork and sculpture design, storytelling, interpretive signage, wayfinding and inclusive visitor experience design.

Walking Trails and Tourism Activation Project (including Cultural Welcome Precinct) – Cultural heritage management, negotiation of cultural heritage agreements, construction-phase compliance oversight, arts curation, cultural interpretation, artwork, signage, wayfinding and visitor experience design.

Rodeo Grounds New Subdivision – Cultural heritage management, stakeholder engagement, negotiation of cultural heritage agreements and compliance oversight during design and construction.

The successful consultant will act on Council's behalf, working closely with elected Council, Traditional Owners, Elders, community representatives, artists, project consultants and construction contractors.

The engagement includes the development of complete, culturally approved, construction-ready specialist design documentation for relevant artwork, cultural installations, interpretation, signage, wayfinding and visitor experience elements, enabling implementation through Council's separate construction contracts.

Council seeks a single lead consultant capable of coordinating the full scope, supported by specialist subcontractors or a multidisciplinary team where appropriate.

Anticipated commencement: December 2026, with an initial 12-month engagement and provision for extension in accordance with the tender documents.

Further requirements are detailed in the Invitation to Tender documentation.

Background information / Compatibility requirements

Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council is progressing several significant capital projects involving cultural infrastructure, tourism development, public spaces and residential land development.

The Indigenous and Arts Installation Precinct (Cultural Walk) has undergone design development and community engagement, with construction to be delivered under a separate contract. The Walking Trails and Tourism Activation Project, including the Cultural Welcome Precinct, is being progressed through a Design and Construct procurement. The Rodeo Grounds New Subdivision is also progressing through planning, design and development activities.

Council has commissioned cultural engagement, planning and design work for the Cultural Walk and Walking Trails projects, including the GHD Cultural Installation Engagement Outcomes Report (December 2023) and the Walking Trails Engagement Outcomes Report (June 2026). The successful consultant will be expected to review and build upon this existing work, avoiding unnecessary duplication.

Key requirements and project interfaces include:

Working collaboratively with Council, Traditional Owners, Elders, cultural knowledge holders, community representatives, artists and relevant stakeholders.

Coordinating with Council-appointed project managers, architects, engineers, landscape architects, designers, construction contractors and tourism consultants.

Ensuring compliance with applicable Aboriginal cultural heritage legislation, native title arrangements, cultural protocols and project-specific agreements.

Respecting cultural authority, confidentiality, Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights, and appropriate cultural approval processes.

Developing coordinated, construction-ready specialist designs that integrate with existing and proposed infrastructure and can be implemented through Council's separate construction contracts.

Ensuring consistency in cultural interpretation, storytelling, wayfinding and visitor experience across the Cultural Walk, Cultural Welcome Precinct and Walking Trails.

Considering accessibility, durability, maintainability and suitability for Palm Island's tropical coastal environment.

Coordinating specialist engineering and technical interfaces where required to complete the design documentation.

Council intends to retain direct control over cultural governance and the approval of cultural content and specialist designs. The consultant will be responsible for developing, coordinating and documenting the relevant design packages and providing implementation support.

Tenderers may propose a multidisciplinary team or specialist subcontractors, provided a single lead contracting entity assumes responsibility for the complete scope.

Relevant background reports, specifications and other reference documentation will be provided through the tender process as applicable. Tenderers should refer to Part B – Specification for the detailed scope, deliverables and responsibilities.

Desired Outcomes ('Nice to haves', Conditions & Warranties, SLA's, Project benefits): Council seeks to achieve culturally appropriate, technically coordinated and high-quality outcomes across the three projects through the engagement of a suitably qualified multidisciplinary consultant.

Desired outcomes include:

- Cultural Heritage Management: Effective engagement with Traditional Owners, Elders and relevant cultural parties; timely negotiation and implementation of cultural heritage agreements; and appropriate compliance oversight throughout design and construction.

- Cultural Governance and Community Participation: Meaningful involvement of the Palm Island community, with appropriate cultural validation, consent, recognition and protection of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property.

- Complete Specialist Design: Delivery of culturally approved, construction-ready designs and technical specifications for artwork, sculptures, cultural installations, storytelling, interpretive signage, wayfinding and visitor information.

- Integrated Visitor Experience: A coherent, accessible and inclusive visitor journey connecting the Cultural Walk, Cultural Welcome Precinct and Walking Trails, with consistent wayfinding and complementary cultural interpretation.

- Local Economic and Cultural Benefits: Opportunities for Palm Island artists, cultural practitioners, Indigenous businesses and community organisations to participate in the design and implementation of cultural elements.

- Effective Project Coordination: Collaborative engagement with Council's project consultants, construction contractors and tourism advisers, ensuring designs are technically compatible with existing infrastructure and construction arrangements.

- Cost Transparency: Progressive cost estimates for proposed cultural and artistic elements, supporting Council's funding decisions and any required construction contract variations.

- Implementation Support: Timely review of contractor submissions, shop drawings, samples and installations to ensure the completed works reflect the approved cultural and specialist designs.

Additional desirable capabilities include:

- Demonstrated experience delivering comparable projects in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, particularly regional and remote locations.

- Established relationships with Indigenous artists, cultural practitioners and specialist fabricators.

- Expertise in universal design, accessible information, interpretive exhibitions and digital storytelling.

- Ability to coordinate specialist engineering, fabrication requirements and technical certification.

- Experience integrating cultural interpretation with tourism infrastructure, landscape architecture and public-realm projects.

Service expectations and conditions:

- The consultant must nominate suitably qualified key personnel, maintain appropriate professional indemnity and public liability insurance, and comply with relevant legislation, cultural protocols, confidentiality requirements and Council's contractual conditions.

- Services must be delivered in accordance with agreed programmes, design approval processes, reporting requirements and performance measures. The consultant must promptly identify and escalate matters affecting cultural approvals, project delivery, design coordination, programme or cost.

- All specialist designs and deliverables must be appropriately documented, reviewed and approved before implementation. The consultant must provide editable design files, technical specifications, cultural approval records and relevant handover documentation, subject to applicable intellectual property and cultural permissions.

The overarching objective is to ensure that Council's capital investments deliver lasting cultural, community and visitor benefits, with culturally authentic outcomes that can be implemented efficiently through the respective construction contracts.

Buyer: Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council

Buyer location: 1 Main St, Palm Island, Queensland 4816, Australia

VendorPanel reference: VP531968

Buyer's reference: PIASC.2627.CHAI01

Opens: Monday 02 November 2026 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Closes: Friday 27 November 2026 02:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time)

Supplier query cut-off: Friday 20 November 2026 02:00 PM (E. Australia Standard Time)

Expected decision: Friday 04 December 2026 (E. Australia Standard Time)

Categories: Environmental & Heritage Services; 1: Heritage Advisory Services; Graphic Design & Photographic & Art Services; 1: 3D Graphics and animations; 2: Art Consulting; 3: Curators; 4: Graphic design; 5: Photographic services; 6: Picture Framing; 7: Professional artists; 8: Public Art & Sculpture; 9: Video production and Editing services; 10: Website; Printing & Distribution Services; 1: Signs & Banners; Railway, Tramway and Track; 1: Safety, Signalling and Control Systems; Signs & Barriers; 1: Banners & Flags; 2: Council Signage; 3: Digital Signage; 4: Other Signage & Sign Writing; 5: Safety Signs; Training & Development; 1: Content development & Instructional Design; Travel & Tourism; 1: Tourism Development Consulting Services Regions of service: Australian Capital Territory; 1: ACT (all other areas); New South Wales; 1: Sydney; Northern Territory; 1: Darwin; Queensland; 1: Brisbane; 2: Gold Coast; 3: Northern; 4: Sunshine Coast; South Australia; 1: Adelaide; Tasmania; 1: Greater Hobart; Victoria; 1: Melbourne; Western Australia; 1: Perth; All Regions of Service locations are within Australia.

Tender documents: 22

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