A tiled mosaic water feature, which portrays The Whale Story of the Gweagle People, is set to be removed from Peace Park as part of the $34 million Sutherland Entertainment Centre upgrade.

The move has “saddened” artist Peter Day who created the work 13 years ago from the oral story shared with him by local Indigenous elders.

“While I understand the built environment changes over time and the new Entertainment Centre will bring opportunities for residents and visitors, I was saddened to learn the work will be destroyed, when I believe that relocation options could be explored,” he said.

The council says a final decision hasn’t been made on the future of the water feature, comprising five panels in shallow pools, but Mr Day said he had been told it would be dismantled and destroyed.

“They said if I wanted anything, they were happy to give it to me,” he said. “Where am I going to put it?

“I think it’s crazy to junk a ceramic mosaic of world standard, paid for by ratepayers.”

Mr Day said said the water feature was the culmination of three years’ work with local Aboriginal elders and organisations.

“I am aware the council now has interpretive signage in Oak Park, Cronulla sharing this story, however the beauty of the public artwork is that it is a visual telling of the oral story,” he said.

“Its visual presence makes the story accessible to all members of the community, including people with low literacy levels or for whom English is not their first language, and children.”

A council spokeswoman said the Entertainment Centre upgrade, starting this year, would deliver a vastly improved and more accessible facility and park for both audiences and performers.

“While council is working to minimise any potential impact of these works for local stakeholders, the upgrade is expected to have an impact on the nearby water feature, which includes an art installation marking the The Whale Story of the Gweagal People.

“Council has consulted extensively with the artist and other stakeholders…with a final decision yet to be made on the future of the piece.”

The spokeswoman said the story of the Whales of the Gweagal People was an important part of local Indigenous heritage and, in consultation with the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, it was agreed this was best honoured in a significant location close to the ocean. Interpretive signage was installed at Oak Park last year.