“It is impressive in size and helps to make Bega feel more alive, vibrant and interesting,” Jennifer Friedli said after the work was unveiled on Thursday.

“Bega deserves excellent public art like any other Aussie town,” Heather Burness said.

Now the structure is in place, the meaning of the work has become the main focus of many onlookers.

But what was Ms Mallinson’s inspiration? what does the work represent? and what has it been made from?

The sculpture comprises two large curved elements, which Ms Mallinson says represents the coming together of the Bega and Brogo rivers, instilling a feeling of nurturing and embracing of Australian Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures. 

“The patterns in the top of both pieces represent some of the flora and fauna of this area, as well as describing an Aboriginal meeting place significant to Biamanga and Gulaga Mountains,” Ms Mallinson said.

The style of these patterns was inspired by the marks left by eucalyptus long-horned borers, found under the bark of many local gum trees, she said.

The sculpture also highlights the boulders, or tears of the mountain, located on the opposite side of the path, further increasing the significance of the link to country, Ms Mallinson said.

The sculpture is made from special atmospheric corrosion-resistant weathering steel, better known by its J. P. Morgan founded United States Steel Corporation trademarked name COR-TEN.

The weathered steel goes through an oxidisation process, where fine rust particles bond together to form a protective layer, preserving the steel inside.

Over the next few months of this oxidisation process the sculpture will undergo many colour changes from bright gold to orange to dark rust, council said.

Weathered steel has been a popular material in the art world and has been used in the construction of both the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art (ACCA) in Melbourne and Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).

Council’s Manager of Community Culture and Information, Simon Schweitzer, is excited by such a public art piece has become a central feature of the Littleton Gardens redevelopment project.

“We are excited to have such a significant piece of public art as the centrepiece to the Gardens, and thrilled to have been able to work with a local artist on this significant project,” Mr Schweitzer said.

Ms Mallinson’s new exhibition PIVOTAL will be on show at the Belconnen Arts Centre from October 14 to November 6.