Burnie Gateway Welcome Gesture

The Burnie Gateway, known as the Welcome Gesture, is a striking public artwork featuring a series of tall yellow poles that form a sweeping arm-like motion to greet visitors entering the city.

A Symbol of Arrival

The Welcome Gesture creates an instantly recognisable entry to Burnie, promoting a sense of arrival, complementing its surroundings, and reflecting community identity.

Impressive both day and night, it captures the essence of Burnie as a City of Makers: bold, creative, welcoming, a talking point for directions:

“When you’re heading west, turn right at the yellow gateway sculpture. Burnie is a beautiful little city by the sea to stop and grab a bite to eat!

“The gateway will signal the next exciting chapter in Burnie’s story as a step towards creating a new vision for the city’s future, for our local community and for our visitors.” Mayor Teeny Brumby

Design and Concept

The Welcome Gesture is designed to be experienced while driving, creating a cinematic moment that symbolically gestures people into the city.

The vibrant yellow reflects Burnie’s parks and rose gardens, while landscaped areas and sculptural fragments highlight local history.

Community workshops helped shape the concept, with residents sharing what they value most about pataway / Burnie. Three creative teams developed proposals based on this feedback, displayed through 3D models in the Council foyer and online. Video interviews with each team gave further insight into their inspiration, and community voting identified the Welcome Gesture created by artists Geoff Farquhar-Still and David Hamilton, as the preferred design.

Affectionately nicknamed the “French fries”, “Chips” , “Cheese sticks” or even “Minions” by some locals, the installation includes landscaped areas, seating, and sculptural fragments designed to showcase elements of community history.

The Tasmanian Government funded the “gateway” projects in Burnie, Devonport, Hobart, and Launceston to enhance key Tasmanian entry points and improve the visitor experience. These projects aim to support tourism by creating a strong, welcoming and memorable first impression for all.