I’m really proud to share this public art project created for Transport for NSW, with the artworks printed and installed by Natz Packaging across traffic control boxes throughout Sydney’s transport areas and suburbs.

This project was about transforming everyday street infrastructure into something meaningful — something that carries story, culture and connection to Country.

Traffic control boxes are often things people walk past without noticing. But through artwork, they become part of the public space in a different way. They become a place where people can stop, look closer and be reminded that every road, every crossing, every suburb and every journey across Sydney takes place on Aboriginal land.

For me, this project was about bringing Aboriginal storytelling into the streets, where people live, walk, drive, gather and move through their everyday lives.

It was also about creating artworks that speak to the layers of Sydney — the harbour, roads, bridges, suburbs, Country, culture and the knowledge that existed long before the city we see today.

Bringing the Artworks to Life

I created four different artworks for this project, each with its own story and connection to Sydney.

The artworks were designed to wrap around the traffic control boxes, allowing the story to continue across each side. This meant thinking carefully about movement, flow, colour and how each design would sit within busy public spaces.

Working with Natz Packaging was a really important part of the process. They printed and applied the artworks onto the boxes for Transport for NSW, helping bring the designs from digital artwork into real public installations.

Seeing the finished boxes out on the streets was really special. These artworks now sit within everyday places — near roads, crossings, shops, suburbs and transport routes — becoming part of the journey for people moving through Sydney.

Connection to Saltwater Country – Clans of the Harbour

This artwork represents the deep connection between the Aboriginal Clans of Sydney Harbour and the saltwater Country that surrounds and sustains them.

The circular elements throughout the artwork represent different Clan groups who have lived with and cared for this place for countless generations. Each circle holds its own story, responsibilities and cultural connection.

The flowing blues and earthy tones reflect the meeting of land and water — Country and Sea Country — and how they are inseparable in Aboriginal ways of knowing and being.

The fish in the artwork represent a strong spiritual and cultural bond to Sea Country. They speak to sustenance, memory, belonging and the ongoing connection Aboriginal people have with the harbour and its waters.

For me, this artwork is a tribute to the resilience, knowledge and continuing connection of Aboriginal peoples to Sydney Harbour — a place of deep cultural significance, storytelling and life.

Journeys Through Country – The Roads of Sydney

This artwork represents the many journeys people take across Sydney every day through roads, tunnels and bridges, including the iconic Harbour Bridge.

At the centre of the artwork is a large meeting place, representing the heart of Sydney — Country that has always been alive with community, movement and story.

The pathways that radiate out from the centre represent modern roads and tunnels, but they also reflect traditional Songlines and walking tracks that have connected Aboriginal people across Country for thousands of years.

The thick dark lines with footprints speak to the journeys people make every day — by foot, by car, by transport, and through spirit. These roads move through Country like veins, carrying energy, connection and movement.

The Harbour Bridge is represented as a symbolic crossing, connecting both sides of the water and reminding us that all modern crossings sit within a much older story of movement across Aboriginal land.

This artwork reminds us that every journey in Sydney is layered with meaning. Roads do not just cut through the land — they travel across Country that has always been known, named and cared for by Aboriginal people.

Before the Roads – The Spirit of Sydney Harbour Country

This artwork tells the layered story of Sydney — a place where modern roads and bridges now cross over land that has always been alive with culture, spirit and connection.

One side of the artwork shows Sydney Harbour and its surrounding lands reimagined through an Aboriginal lens. The white lines and curves represent the roads and highways that now stretch across the city, connecting people across water and land.

But beneath those roads is a much older story.

The thousands of dots represent the land before colonisation — Country full of life, belonging, history and spirit. The earthy colours honour the trees, sandstone, soil and waterways that have sustained Aboriginal peoples for tens of thousands of years.

The blue water patterns flow like ancient Songlines, moving with the rhythm of the tide and carrying stories passed down across generations.

The traditional meeting place symbols connected by journey lines represent the way Aboriginal people moved through Country with purpose and respect long before the roads were built.

This artwork is more than a map. It is a reminder that beneath Sydney’s roads, bridges and streets is living, breathing Country — and always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

Living Culture – Tools of Our Ancestors

This artwork celebrates the strength, resilience and living legacy of Aboriginal culture through the tools and artefacts passed down from our ancestors.

The shields, spears and stone tools represent protection, survival, hunting and cultural knowledge. These were not just objects — they were shaped with purpose, identity and wisdom passed down through generations.

The boomerangs, coolamons and digging sticks represent everyday life, ceremony, family and care. They speak to how Aboriginal people lived in harmony with Country, using knowledge of the land to gather, provide, protect and nurture.

The footprints and handprints across the artwork represent the intergenerational journey of our people. Each step and each handprint carries the knowledge of those who came before us and the strength of culture that continues today.

The red and earthy tones reflect the pulse of Country — soil, sand, clay and the natural materials from which many tools were created.

Although these tools are ancient, the culture is not something of the past. It is still alive, still practised, still taught and still carried forward.

This artwork is a tribute to the tools that shaped us, the knowledge that sustains us and the culture that continues to guide us.

Public Art That Carries Story

What I love about public art is that it brings culture into everyday spaces.

People may pass these boxes on their way to work, school, appointments, shops or home. Some may stop and read the story. Some may simply notice the colours and patterns as they walk past. But either way, the artwork becomes part of the landscape and part of the journey.

For me, that is powerful.

These artworks are about more than improving the look of public infrastructure. They are about recognising Aboriginal Country, sharing stories, and creating spaces where culture is visible and present.

Each box carries a different part of Sydney’s story — saltwater Country, roads and journeys, the spirit of the harbour before modern development, and the living culture of our ancestors.

Together, they speak to connection, movement, memory and Country.

Thank You

I’d like to thank Transport for NSW for the opportunity to create these artworks for Sydney’s public transport and street spaces.

A big thank you also to Natz Packaging for printing and installing the artworks so beautifully and helping bring the designs into the public space.

It is always special to see my artwork move beyond the screen and into the world, especially in places where people can experience Aboriginal storytelling as part of their everyday lives.

I hope these artworks encourage people to look a little closer, reflect on the Country they are travelling across, and feel the deeper stories held within Sydney’s streets, roads, waterways and communities.

– Lani Balzan
Aboriginal Art by Lani