Sensing Environments - Will O'Toole

Immerse yourself in a world of sound and discover more than 100 aquatic soundscapes across the Sunshine Coast for Horizon Festival 2018. Listening Underwater uses GPS points to trigger audio based on location and movement and can be experienced anytime during the festival. New sounds will be added everyday and the sounds will evolve and adapt daily during the event, every sound walk will be a different experience. Listening Underwater reveals the acoustic ecologies beneath the surface of oceans, lakes and rivers across the planet. Looking at the surface of a river or marine ecosystem, it is virtually impossible to detect environmental changes. The impacts of climate change are often visible in terrestrial environments, yet dramatic changes in aquatic ecosystems can go unnoticed simply due to visibility. Listening to hydrophones (underwater microphones) provides access to a non-invasive way of understanding changing aquatic ecosystems. The featured locations include coastal mangroves in Mexico, frozen rivers in Norway, the iconic Great Barrier Reef and the coastline of Queensland including K’Gari (Fraser Island), a major transitory point for humpback whales on their southern migration. Listening Underwater is best experienced with headphones. This project has been supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland. #ListeningUnderwater #HorizonArtFest Tweet @LeahBarclay with questions

This piece of preserved domain features 6 hectares of remnant wet sclerophyll and re-vegetated forest. Located right by the ocean's edge, this area has numerous walking trails to glimpse into native flora and fauna in a protected peaceful piece of nature. Take note of native bird calls, rustling of local plant species in the wind and the faint call of the ocean's waves in this piece of preservation.

Immerse yourself in a world of sound and discover more than 100 aquatic soundscapes across the Sunshine Coast for Horizon Festival 2018. Listening Underwater uses GPS points to trigger audio based on location and movement and can be experienced anytime during the festival. New sounds will be added everyday and the sounds will evolve and adapt daily during the event, every sound walk will be a different experience. Listening Underwater reveals the acoustic ecologies beneath the surface of oceans, lakes and rivers across the planet. Looking at the surface of a river or marine ecosystem, it is virtually impossible to detect environmental changes. The impacts of climate change are often visible in terrestrial environments, yet dramatic changes in aquatic ecosystems can go unnoticed simply due to visibility. Listening to hydrophones (underwater microphones) provides access to a non-invasive way of understanding changing aquatic ecosystems. The featured locations include coastal mangroves in Mexico, frozen rivers in Norway, the iconic Great Barrier Reef and the coastline of Queensland including K’Gari (Fraser Island), a major transitory point for humpback whales on their southern migration. Listening Underwater is best experienced with headphones. This project has been supported by the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland. #ListeningUnderwater #HorizonArtFest Tweet @LeahBarclay with questions

Listen to the beautiful sounds that come from the Maroochy Wetlands Sanctuary. This area plays a crucial role in the health of the Maroochy River and is part of the Sunshine Coast's Blue Heart. This little project was created with my 2 children (7 & 9 years old) who helped me record and put together this walk. It was amazing to see them both curious and focused on our little journey. I hope you enjoy!

A guided sound walk through Buderim Falls that invites you to slow down and notice what usually goes unseen. What appears still is constantly shifting.

A soundwalk capturing a fictional day of highs and lows as the membership jackpot draw is finally won against the backdrop of a rescue. The soundscape consists of field recordings from site mixed with a variety of field-recorded and studio-created sounds.

The world is full of interesting and beautiful things, not all of them overt or celebrated. Take a moment to slow down, enjoy the things you wouldn't otherwise notice, and see the world in a new way. This walk has no start or end point, nor do you need to visit every location to enjoy it. Set your own pace and visit the locations you feel like visiting.

A simulated walk through Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny.