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For the next two weeks, Brisbane will no longer have to look skywards to see if a storm is brewing on the horizon.
A fascinating interactive science installation called ‘SKY’ is on show in the heritage-listed Queens Gardens, located in the CBD, which is enabling people to choreograph the weather to their own human movement.

It is one of 15 ‘Curiocities’ that have been assembled as part of a trail of interactive installations along the Brisbane River, between the South Bank Cultural Precinct and Brisbane Powerhouse.

The 15 ‘Curiocities’ have been designed to challenge locals and visitors to embrace their curiosity and explore science and innovation, Brisbane, and their place in the universe.

The trail is just one element of Curiocity Brisbane – an immersive, interactive, and multi-sensory experience, the concept of Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) and Brisbane Marketing – which aims to link the city from South Bank to New Farm from now until 3 April 2019.

SKY artist Geoffrey Drake-Brockman said his inspiration for the

unique science installation came from the earth’s sky and the unpredictability of the weather. “I think we all sometimes wish we had control over the weather – there are days when it’s too hot, too cold, too dry, not enough rain, and the list goes on,” Mr Drake-Brockman said.

“My installation invites locals and visitors to imagine a future with technology that allows perfect weather control.

“SKY consists of 32 air-jets that, when activated, inflate brightly lit five-metre tall fabric plumes that ascend and surge with pulsations of pressure and swirling motion.

“It has eight microwave sensors that detect passing pedestrians and a computer that composes choreographic weather-pattern responses to human movement.

“This means anyone can have a bit of fun by walking past and whipping up their own storm, causing clouds and swirling winds to billow and surge together.”

Treasury Brisbane is the major partner of Curiocity Brisbane’s inaugural staging.

Treasury Brisbane is part of The Star Entertainment Group, the lead partner in Destination Brisbane Consortium, which is building the $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane integrated resort in the CBD.

“We are proud to add this inaugural Curiocity Brisbane event to the long list of cultural, music, sporting, and community initiatives that we support across South East Queensland (SEQ),” said The Star Entertainment Group Managing Director Queensland Geoff Hogg.

“From the Brisbane Festival to the TV Week Logies and the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast, supporting major events helps us to build partnerships with industry and the community to showcase what is unique and special about SEQ.

“We hope Curiocity Brisbane will spark the imagination of locals and visitors and get them to be more curious about our beautiful river city.

“We live in a dynamic and cultural city that is only going to become more vibrant in years to come when we open Queen’s Wharf Brisbane, which will help put Brisbane on the map as a global tourism, leisure, and entertainment destination.”

In fact, locals and visitors who are curious about Queen’s Wharf Brisbane and what it will contain can download the CuriocityAR app for a sneak peek.

From the opposite side of the river, the app can be used on mobile phones to scan markers in position at South Bank to achieve an augmented reality experience of the integrated resort.

“The area where our consortium is building Queen’s Wharf Brisbane is the birthplace of Brisbane – it is where the first European convicts settled when they came here,” Mr Hogg said.

“This never-been-used before AR experience of Queen’s Wharf will take users back to what Queen’s Wharf was in the 1800s, then how it is today as we progress construction, and finally into an architectural flythrough of how our development will look in the future when it is expected to open in 2022.”

In addition to the ‘Curiocities’, Curiocity Brisbane also includes the World Science Festival Brisbane (from 2024 March), and a brand-new global technology and innovation event called QODE (from 2-3 April).

To satisfy your curiosity, visit https://curiocitybrisbane.com/
Curiocity Brisbane is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar, worth $800m to the state’s economy in 2019.