Forty three metres (141'7") in length, The Federation Tapestry is the most monumental public art work of its kind ever commissioned in Australia. In quality, impact and national significance it will rank with the great tapestries of the world.

Encapsulating the flavour of a nation it was commissioned to mark the centenary of Australia's birth as a nation. The images in its 10 arresting panels range from Aboriginal dreamtime legends to a solitary shepherd in the bush with a sheep and a dog, and from the clamour and rejoicing that marked Federation in 1901 to the enigmatic 'Sorry' etched across the sky above the sails of the Sydney Opera House in the year 2000.

The project brings together such diverse artists as Martin Sharp, Ginger Riley, Reg Mombassa, Mirka Mora, catoonist Bruce Petty and botanical artist Celia Rosser. It includes text by Partick White, Les Murray and Joseph Furphy, and images from 19th century artists and cartoonists. The design was coordinated by principal artist/designer Murray Walker.