28/09/2023, 16:44 Ghost net art - The Australian Museum

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Collection / Ghost net art

Ghost net art

Learn how Aboriginal communities and artists are using
ghost net sculptures as a way to tell traditional stories.

Ghost nets, or fishing nets abandoned or lost at sea, pose a massive

threat to marine life and birds.
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28/09/2023, 16:44 Ghost net art - The Australian Museum

Fish and turtles, as well as larger animals such as dolphins and sharks, are
often discovered entangled in the net, many of which have been killed.
Net can travel over extremely long distances with the currents and tides,
and lengths of net more that 6km in size have been found off northern
Australia.

Net is collected from the beaches by rangers, and recorded and

identified (if possible) before being passed on to various communities.
While some nets originate from Australian fishing boats, much of the
ghost net that is discovered in the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Torres
Strait originates from south-east Asia, including the Philippines,
Singapore and Indonesia. The thickness, colour and size of the net can
often identify where the net originated.

Several Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are now turning
these destructive materials into works of art, which are raising awareness
for this terrible issue, and reflect the struggle that communities face in
protecting the marine environment. While nets were once either simply
dumped or burned after being retrieved, the varying kinds of net are now
viewed in a different light. Some kinds of net are particularly desired by
artists for their colour and physical qualities, and are turned into
stunning sculptural works of art, as well as smaller items.
Collection highlights

Ghost Net Art from Darnley Island (Erub)

The museum has several works in our collection which are wonderful examples of how environmentally destructive materials are
being recycled into amazing works of art.
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