Pulling the wool: Why we’re no longer riding on the sheep’s back

Australia is no longer riding on the sheep’s back with nursery cut flowers and turf worth more than wool in the agricultural market, new data has revealed. Once the greatest source of national prosperity, wool now accounts for $3.2 billion in terms of production value compared with $3.4 billion for cut flowers and turf.

Data from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) shows that wheat and beef are Australia’s most valuable agricultural commodities, making up one third of all production by value in 2022. Wheat increased by $3.3 billion in 2022, reaching a record high of $13.1 billion while canola and cotton lint more than doubled.

Favourable farming conditions in Australia and, conversely, poorer conditions overseas have boosted the agricultural sector significantly, Ray White Group chief economist Nerida Conisbee said.

“We were producing a lot, while others were producing far less,” she said. “As we came out of the pandemic, people began spending more. The Ukraine conflict further complicated wheat markets.”

The result has lead to total agricultural production in excess of $90 billion and land values almost doubling over the past three years.

While the 2022 results have been welcomed, Ms Conisbee said the future is less certain, with international shifts having potentially positive and negative effects. While wheat production is expected to decline as weather patterns become less favourable, the ongoing war in Ukraine should keep prices up. Rice shortages as a result of a decision by the Indian Government to ban exports of non basmati rice to deal with domestic shortages is expected to have a similar impact on that market.

“This announcement is expected to result in the biggest global rice shortage in 20 years,” Ms Conisbee said. “Similarly to wheat, prices are set to rise. Although Australia is not a major rice producer, it will impact the Riverina in southern NSW where around 75 per cent of Australia’s rice is grown.”

One of Sydney’s newest premium workplace destinations has unveiled a major art activation designed to transform the traditional office experience.

Contemporary art curator ART+ has partnered with Forum Double Bay to deliver a curated art program throughout the recently opened workspace, anchored by a large-scale mural from Australian artist Vicki Lee in the building’s central atrium.

The collection also includes works by internationally recognised artists Sebastian Magnani, Alan Walsh, Terry O’Neill, Tyler Shields and Alexander Calder, creating what the partners describe as an art-infused environment that integrates culture into the everyday workplace experience.

Rather than treating art as a decorative addition, the program has been designed to form part of the building’s identity, creating moments of inspiration and engagement throughout the day for members and visitors alike.

ART+ founder Jay Lyon said the collaboration reflected a shared vision between the curator and developer to create workspaces that offer more than desks and meeting rooms.

“This is a unique moment to shape the way people experience workspace: not just as a place to work, but as a place to be inspired. Fortis and Art+ share that vision,” he said.

The activation comes as workplace design continues to evolve, with premium operators increasingly incorporating hospitality, wellness and cultural experiences into office environments as businesses seek to attract employees back into physical workspaces.

At Forum Double Bay, the result is a workplace that combines flexible office accommodation with a carefully curated aesthetic experience, positioning the development as a destination rather than simply a place to work.

Artist Vicki Lee said public art had the power to create an emotional connection with a space.

“What I want is for people to walk in and feel something; a connection, a surprise, a moment of beauty. That’s the power of public art,” she said.

Forum Double Bay recently opened at 377 New South Head Road and has been delivered under the development management expertise of Fortis. The project follows the success of Forum in Melbourne’s Cremorne and is operated by The Commons.

According to the release, all works within the building have been leased as part of the curated program, highlighting Fortis’ commitment to creating boutique workplace environments that blend design, hospitality and culture.

The collaboration also reflects the growing role art is playing within commercial real estate, where developers are increasingly using curated collections and commissioned works to create distinctive environments that foster creativity, community and a stronger sense of place.

For ART+, which specialises in sourcing and commissioning contemporary artworks for luxury residential, commercial and hospitality projects, the Forum partnership represents another example of art being integrated into the fabric of a development from the outset rather than being added after completion.

Pulling the wool: Why we’re no longer riding on the sheep’s back

Favourable weather patterns have provided record profits in some areas of agriculture but future forecasts are mixed

A new collaboration between ART+ and Forum Double Bay is bringing museum-quality artworks and a large-scale mural into the workplace.