Abstract
This study examines the reciprocal relationship between place identity and the creation and presence of protest yard signs as a community activism vehicle. The case study presented involved protest yard signs created in response to a contentious proposed beachfront high-rise hotel and residential development in the community of Yaroomba, on the Sunshine Coast of South East Queensland, Australia. The signs’ placement defined the neighborhood as a site of debate and contention and the sign campaign’s effectiveness helped sustain the protest movement through a drawn-out assessment process. A geosemiotic-based analysis revealed that the signs’ messaging and aesthetic combined to portray an authentic and compelling community voice reflecting a strong attachment to the Yaroomba locale and community values supporting environmental protection and good governance. While yard signs are often ephemeral, in this case the signs persisted in the landscape for a number of years, becoming highly visible material culture objects in the community where the visual culture portrayed by the signs evolved from one solely focused on protest to one reflecting Yaroomba’s place identity.
