A top-down perspective of the Centennial Park Labyrinth reveals the full geometry and sculptural elegance of this sandstone installation supplied by Gosford Quarries. Set within Centennial Parklands, this space invites all who enter to reflect, connect, and walk with purpose. (Bondi Stone Installer – Ken Duncan Photography)
Article at a Glance: Walking Together: The Centennial Park Labyrinth and the Story of Sandstone in Australia.
This article explores how sandstone becomes a powerful medium for reflection, reconciliation, and cultural connection.
This feature highlights Gosford Quarries’ role in supplying Wondabyne sandstone for the iconic Centennial Park Labyrinth, a space for gathering, yarning, and walking together. More than a public artwork, the labyrinth embodies 6,000 years of sandstone heritage, from First Nations storytelling to contemporary civic design.
Through themes of unity, craftsmanship, and the enduring legacy of stone, this article reflects on how sandstone continues to shape Australia’s landscapes, communities, and national conversations.
🟡 Reconciliation through place-making
🟡 Yarning circles & labyrinths as shared spaces
🟡 Public art, urban policy, and sandstone’s role in connecting past and present
National Reconciliation Week special article
At the heart of the Centennial Park Labyrinth, a person pauses at the centre — symbolising reflection, truth-telling, and reconciliation. Crafted from Wondabyne sandstone by Gosford Quarries, this sacred public artwork blends geometry, memory, and unity. (Bondi Stone Installer – Ken Duncan Photography)
A Journey of Reflection, Connection, and Reconciliation
In the heart of Centennial Park, a place of deep cultural and historical significance, lies a masterpiece of stone, storytelling, and spirit – the Centennial Park Labyrinth. More than a design, more than an installation, this sandstone labyrinth is a universal and non-denominational space – a meeting place, a circle, a journey inwards and outwards, a path of reflection and reconciliation.
At Gosford Quarries, we are honoured to have supplied the Wondabyne sandstone that forms the foundation of this sacred space. As Australia’s leading sandstone supplier, we recognise that our stone is not just a building material – it is a witness to time, a keeper of stories, and a bridge between past, present, and future.
During National Reconciliation Week, we reflect on the significance of this project, not just as a feat of craftsmanship but as a symbol of unity. The labyrinth is a path walked by all, just as the journey of reconciliation is one we must all take together.
Aerial view of the sandstone labyrinth at Centennial Park in Sydney, supplied by Gosford Quarries and constructed from profiled Wondabyne sandstone. (Bondi Stone Installer – Ken Duncan Photography)
Stone of the Land: The First People and the Story of Sandstone
For over 6,000 years, the First Nations people of this land have worked with sandstone, carving rock engravings, grinding grooves, and ceremonial sites into the natural stone of this continent. From the sacred rock shelters of Ku-ring-gai, where hand stencils and carvings remain, to the ancient songlines and stories that travel across the Country, sandstone holds memory and meaning.
This land is etched with history, and every block of sandstone carries the imprint of time, the wisdom of the earth, and the presence of those who have walked before us.
When Gosford Quarries quarried, cut, and shaped the 1,600 individual pieces of sandstone for the Centennial Park Labyrinth, we did so with reverence, not just for the precision of the work but for the meaning of the stone itself. Sandstone has stood as the foundation of this country long before we quarried it, and it will remain long after we are gone.
This labyrinth continues the sandstone legacy, transforming it into a gathering place for all people, all cultures, and all beliefs.
Stone masons from Bondi Stone install the central rosette of the Centennial Park Labyrinth using CNC-profiled Wondabyne sandstone supplied by Gosford Quarries. This construction stage highlights the precision and craftsmanship behind one of Sydney’s most meaningful public artworks. (Bondi Stone – Installer)
The Labyrinth as a Meeting Place: A Reflection of Yarning Circles
For thousands of years, First Nations people have gathered in Yarning Circles – sacred spaces for listening, sharing, and storytelling. The Centennial Park Labyrinth echoes this ancient tradition, offering a place to walk, reflect, and come together.
Yarning Circles are about deep listening, holding space for truth, history, and connection – all elements that align with the spirit of the labyrinth. The path is one of contemplation, guiding those who walk it to shed distraction, find clarity, and emerge renewed.
With sandstone at its foundation, the labyrinth is a tribute to the traditions of the land’s First Peoples, a recognition that these places of gathering have always existed and will always continue to exist.
The Centennial Park Labyrinth nears completion as Bondi Stone installers carefully position each piece of profiled Wondabyne sandstone. Supplied by Gosford Quarries, the 1,600-piece labyrinth integrates CNC-cut stone and dark inlay, forming a sacred space of cultural significance. (Bondi Stone – Installer)
A Masterpiece in Sandstone and Storytelling
Inspired by the 13th-century labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral in France, the maze has been reimagined here in Australian sandstone, grounding it in this land’s history, materials, and textures.
With the experienced team at Gosford Quarries, the intricate curves and patterns of the labyrinth were meticulously cut using wire saws and CNC precision profiling, ensuring each piece fit together like an ancient puzzle, a mosaic of meaning.
Alongside Gosford Quarries’ Wondabyne sandstone, the project also incorporated contrasting bluestone, combining two natural materials in harmony – two colours, two textures, and two elements in dialogue. The contrast is striking yet seamless, reflecting how different paths and traditions can create something whole.
A Bondi Stone stonemason works on-site during the construction of the Centennial Park Labyrinth in Sydney, aligning profiled Wondabyne sandstone pieces supplied by Gosford Quarries. This intricate civic project required precision CNC cutting and expert placement of over 1,600 sandstone elements, forming a sacred labyrinth inspired by Indigenous yarning circles and universal patterns of reconciliation. (Bondi Stone – Installer)
Reconciliation Through Stone: The Role of Public Art in Our Cities
The Centennial Park Labyrinth is part of Sydney’s broader Public Art Policy, which mandates that urban renewal projects, civic landscapes, and large-scale developments incorporate public art, community spaces, and cultural features. This directive ensures that our cities do not just grow but grow with meaning, storytelling, and community at their heart.
In public art, as in reconciliation, we create spaces where past and present meet, where cultures intertwine, and where all are welcome.
Sandstone continues to shape Australia’s civic and communal spaces through initiatives like the Interim Guideline for Public Art in Private Developments. Whether in Yarning Circles, sculptures, meeting places, or commemorative sites, stone remains a fundamental connector – a material that lasts beyond lifetimes, carrying the weight of stories.
This is the power of sandstone: it is not just a structure but a statement; a monument that belongs to all who encounter it.
A close-up view of the final stages of the Centennial Park Labyrinth installation showcases the careful joinery and design integrity of Gosford Quarries’ Wondabyne sandstone. Contrasting dark bluestone arcs accentuate the curved geometry, guiding visitors along a meditative path. Installed by Bondi Stone, this craftsmanship exemplifies high-precision public art construction, where each stone holds narrative and architectural significance. This image illustrates the harmony of material, mathematics, and meaning in a space dedicated to reflection and reconciliation.
Walking the Path Together
Walking the Centennial Park Labyrinth means participating in something greater than oneself, a practice that First Nations people have long understood. The land is alive; our relationship must be one of deep respect, listening, and reciprocity.
As we reflect during National Reconciliation Week, the labyrinth reminds us:
🔹 The inward journey – letting go of assumptions, opening ourselves to truth.
🔹 The centre – a moment of stillness, understanding, and clarity.
🔹 The outward journey – returning to the world, carrying the lessons we have learned.
The path is not always straight, and reconciliation is an ongoing journey. But as long as we continue to walk, listen, and honour the stories that came before us, we move forward. Together.