![First Nations artist Megan Cope has used around 85,000 oyster shells to make three large-scale works at the Sydney Opera House. Picture by Daniel Boud First Nations artist Megan Cope has used around 85,000 oyster shells to make three large-scale works at the Sydney Opera House. Picture by Daniel Boud](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/f0db1645-8670-40fa-bf26-bd57c9b69dc2.jpg/r0_144_3238_2072_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Oyster shells diverted from landfill on the South Coast have taken pride of place in the Sydney Opera House's 50th anniversary.
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First Nations artist Megan Cope used about 85,000 oyster shells from the Narooma Oyster Festival to create three large-scale public works in the Opera House precinct on Bennelong Point.
There is a decorative windbreak under the exterior staircase, a contemporary midden in front of Bennelong restaurant and oyster shells clinging to 200 timber poles on the northern boardwalk.
![The contemporary midden that artist Megan Cope formed for the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House using oyster shells. Due to its resounding interest with Sydneysiders and visitors, the Sydney Opera House has extended the artwork until November 26, coinciding with Australia's largest on-site and only national dance competition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups. It is held on the Opera House forecourt. Picture by Daniel Boud The contemporary midden that artist Megan Cope formed for the 50th anniversary of the Sydney Opera House using oyster shells. Due to its resounding interest with Sydneysiders and visitors, the Sydney Opera House has extended the artwork until November 26, coinciding with Australia's largest on-site and only national dance competition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups. It is held on the Opera House forecourt. Picture by Daniel Boud](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/450ae571-613a-490f-8c0e-9be633f72cca.jpg/r0_0_3238_2130_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Cath Peachey, chair of Narooma Rocks, the organisation behind the oyster festival, said Ms Cope's work tended to explore the relationship between environment, geography and culture.
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The work at the Opera House is about the recent and ancient history of Bennelong Point.
![First Nations artist Megan Cope has created a windbreak below the exterior staircase of the Sydney Opera House to mark its 50th anniversary. The artwork evokes the ancestral midden sites that were used there for Aboriginal celebrations and gatherings for thousands of years. Picture by Daniel Boud First Nations artist Megan Cope has created a windbreak below the exterior staircase of the Sydney Opera House to mark its 50th anniversary. The artwork evokes the ancestral midden sites that were used there for Aboriginal celebrations and gatherings for thousands of years. Picture by Daniel Boud](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/83efbb77-df1e-41e4-9b80-8094ffd0399d.jpg/r0_555_2160_3133_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Through the art installation Megan is raising the profile of the rock oyster which is what we are about and also its significance as a food source for her people," Ms Peachey said.
While in Ireland to accompany Gerard 'Doody' Dennis to the World Oyster Opening Championships in Galway and to pitch Narooma as host of the Oyster World Cup, Ms Peachey discovered how rare rock oysters were, accounting for just one per cent of global production.
While most of the world's oysters grow in nine to 12 months, rock oysters take five years to reach our tables.
"Over that time they are handled with care by farmers so what Megan is doing is adding to our collective care by caring for them in their next life," she said.
![Eurobodalla Shire Council is working with OzFish on ways to use the discarded oyster shells at Narooma Oyster Festival 2023. The council initiative to reduce the volume of waste going to landfill collected 800 kilograms of oyster shells. Council funded the majority of the zero waste operations including the bins and signage. Picture supplied. Eurobodalla Shire Council is working with OzFish on ways to use the discarded oyster shells at Narooma Oyster Festival 2023. The council initiative to reduce the volume of waste going to landfill collected 800 kilograms of oyster shells. Council funded the majority of the zero waste operations including the bins and signage. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/dd57d714-c411-4664-a835-b1ce4be56059.jpeg/r0_0_662_678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Rock oysters were also unique in that all the oysters Ms Peachey sampled overseas were grown in the sea, making them salty.
"Ours are so complex because we are growing them in estuaries as well," she said.
Oysters are improving the planet's water quality
"Even in New York they have oyster reefs to improve the marine habitat," Ms Peachey said.
She said oyster shells could be composted and farmers crushed them and used them on driveways.
"The installation will educate people about the rare and special thing we have," she said.
![South Coast oysters shelling out for Opera House showcase South Coast oysters shelling out for Opera House showcase](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/180157781/ab8c3293-74aa-4849-ba09-164b324b4f29.jpeg/r0_60_640_420_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Over the course of the Narooma Oyster Festival, 20 Zero Hero volunteers monitored bins and directed people to put their oyster shells in specially designated bins.
Eurobodalla Shire Council sustainability education officer Alex King said small things triggered really big questions for people.
"They see something transformed into something beautiful.
"The big impact of that is the ongoing thoughts and behaviour changes," Ms King said.