Project aims to capture community sentiment around The Sentinel

The Sentinel as it will be remembered

Scenic Rim Regional Council is drawing on the community for ideas for a creative project to honour the memory of Tamborine Mountain's fallen hero, its much-loved local landmark, The Sentinel. 

The loss in May 2024 of the basalt formation, which had seemingly stood guard on the winding Tamborine Mountain Road for some one hundred years, rocked many in the local community, prompting calls for a meaningful use to be found for the shattered stone. 

Expressions of Interest are now open for individuals and community groups keen to use the basalt rock which was removed from The Sentinel's former site to create an enduring reminder of its place in Tamborine Mountain's history. 

Community Arts and Culture Portfolio Councillor Kerri Cryer said The Sentinel had been a feature of the local landscape since the construction of Tamborine Mountain Road - Queensland's first bitumen road outside Brisbane - between 1922 and 1925. 

"Early photos of the construction of what was the 'new road' in 1924 show the huge basalt boulder which came to be known as The Sentinel," she said. 

"During construction of the road, this monolith was considered too heavy and too difficult to move and so was left in place, becoming a unique local landmark. 

"For around 100 years The Sentinel seemed to stand watch over the upper S bend on Tamborine Mountain Road, and was a wayfinder for visitors and locals returning home to the mountain." 

In 2021, the Department of Transport and Main Roads engaged a specialist heritage stonemason to reinforce The Sentinel which had been developing cracks. 

Three years later, inspections by the department's geotechnical engineers found The Sentinel to be unstable and it was removed due to potential safety risks for road users. 

While the lower portion of The Sentinel remains in place, most of the rock was removed to a secure location. 

The material is to be used in a project that recognises The Sentinel's heritage and its community and Indigenous connections. 

Community consultation, including consultation with local Indigenous Elders, will be central to the project.  

"I understand that the loss of The Sentinel was felt acutely by some members of the community and so this project will help to maintain an ongoing connection with this piece of the mountain's history," Cr Cryer said. 

Expressions of Interest close on Friday 25 October and the successful applicant will be required to collect the rock on Saturday 16 November 2024. 

For details see creativescenicrim.com/event/30412782-a/the-sentinel