But for the next month it is going to be a bit tricky finding a spot as a forest of life-sized corflute figures takes over to celebrate both the centenary and 45th birthday of the UC.

The idea to place 300-plus life-sized figurines - representing the people who've made the UC what it is today – was inspired by the Peoplescape installation at Parliament House for the 2001 Centenary of Federation and was unveiled on Monday.

The idea was completely open to all members of the university community – with students, lecturers and alumni all contributing to the peoplescape.

A one-dimensional image of Deputy Chancellor and indigenous elder statesman Tom Calma got a spot in the front row. And again about four rows back.

Professor Calma, whose latest project is as National Coordinator for Tackling Indigenous Smoking, liked both his corflutes, and agreed his front row one appeared to be a bit "fancier" than the others with hand-painted reconciliation images.

Behind him was Bryce Courtenay, who received an honorary doctorate from UC last year. Other "people" immortalised in corflute included award-winning Underbelly writer Felicity Packard, Centenary coordinator and adjunct professor Robyn Archer and even the elephant which found itself delivered to the campus as part of a riotous scavenger hunt in the 1970s.

Vice Chancellor Stephen Parker said it was a pleasure to open the exhibition and draw such a large crowd of onlookers.

"It's a bigger audience than I have had lately – I'll take it where I can get it," he said.

The UCPeoplescapes exhibition was designed to recognise those individuals who helped defined the life and substance of the University – the heroes, quiet achievers, advocates and supporters among the students, academics, alumni and members of the public, Professor Parker said.

Weather permitting, the peoplescape will be in place for about a month with a few fresh faces added in over coming weeks.