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

Overview 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. About 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. Scope The scope includes: 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 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 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 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 Developing, coordinating and documenting the relevant design packages and providing implementation support Contractor Requirements Suitably qualified and experienced in cultural heritage management, arts, interpretation and visitor experience design 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 A single lead consultant capable of coordinating the full scope, supported by specialist subcontractors or a multidisciplinary team where appropriate, with a single lead contracting entity assuming responsibility for the complete scope Contract Terms and Conditions Anticipated commencement: December 2026 Initial 12-month engagement, with provision for extension in accordance with the tender documents Instructions to Tenderers Further requirements are detailed in the Invitation to Tender documentation. 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.