As World Ocean Day is fast approaching there will be a major new public artwork unveiled on May 12.

The artwork, Mermer Waiskeder: stories of the moving tide, will permanently stay in Sydney's Exchange Square at Barrangaroo South, representing the implication of abandoned, lost or discarded fish nets, known as 'ghost nets', to Australia's natural environment.

Mermer Waiskeder is one of the largest hand-crafted public artworks in Australia, crafted by a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists.

The project was created by a talented group from Ghost Net Collective and Erub Arts in Cairns, Townsville and Erub in the Torres Strait and Curated by Nina Miall.

Ghost Net Collective are renowned for making creative use of these harmful fish nets that have been washed up on beaches all around the world, sparking conversations around the importance of public art in raising awareness and visibility around environmental issues.

The installation includes 11 eagle rays, each measuring 2.8 metres in width, that have been meticulously hand-stitched with colourful ghost nets covering aluminium frames.

More than 100 people from around the world including communities along Australia's coastline and Canada have also contributed hand-stitched miniature rays, incorporated into the finished sculptures.

The sculptures will be illuminated at night from within and suspended against projections of rippling water, creating a fully immersive underwater effect and conveying the impression of a fever of rays swimming in the shallows.

The work draws inspiration from the artists' own histories and the Barangaroo site, whilst also highlighting the importance of marine conservation by placing the issue in the heart of the city.

The artwork has been commissioned by Lendlease as part of the Barangaroo Public Art and Cultural Contribution.

Lendlease has previously delivered two major permanent artworks in Barangaroo South: Shellwall by Esme Timbery with Jonathan Jones (2015), and Shadows by Sabine Hornig (2019).