This highly textured artwork shares the story of Upper Hunter Local Land Service (LLS) and their work alongside community to care for country, creating resilient communities in productive healthy landscapes.

Central to the artwork three large gathering circles interlink represent Upper Hunter LLS and their commitment to reconciliation and community partnerships.

This imagery holds a threefold meaning:

• Reflects reconciliation action plan around three key areas: Respect, Relationships and Opportunities
• Highlights collaboration, sharing the journey and shared vision.
• Depicts Upper Hunter LLS three stakeholders’ groups: Land Holders, Farmers and the Wider Community.

Flowing across the canvas traditional people symbols highlight that “it’s about people” gathering, sharing information and making good decisions to sustain life, support healthy environments and protect people.  The seven people symbols within the design is significant as it highlights LLS values of Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, Performance, Service and Trust.  Flowing across the canvas this imagery depicts past, present and future generations and going forward together in caring for the country we leave our children.  Four people gather around a traditional meeting circle on the bottom right of the imagery, along the Hunter River, highlighting the sharing of cultural knowledge and practises through local Aboriginal people and families.

The traditional symbol for Elders is found in the very top left-hand corner of the canvas, acknowledging traditional owners and the cultural wisdom and practises Aboriginal people bring, while directly under this imagery three meeting circles symbolise tribal groups Wonnarua, Geawegal and Wiradjuri ,the traditional owners within the Upper Hunter Local Land Services footprint on country.

This imagery sits upon a backdrop of country depicting the Blue Mountains and Barrington Tops of the Great Dividing Range.  The Hunter Valley gateway pass is reflected as the mountains open within the design and a path to the coast taken be Aboriginal people moves down into the valley.  To the left three connected people symbols depict Biami Cave, while Burning Mountain and the dreamtime story of the Wonnarua women, who wept tears of fire after her warrior husband failed to return from battle with the Gummaroi, is depicted at the top right of the canvas. An engrave grey pathway runs horizontally across the canvas holding a twofold meaning within the design: It represents both the basalt plateau a prominent natural feature of the valley floors and mountains, while also reflecting the prominent mining industry found throughout the area.

Dominating the left side of the artwork the Hunter River Red Gum is celebrated as the only natural occurring population of River Reds found east of the Range and is reflective of our native vegetation within the artwork. Green engraved imagery across the centre of the work depicts natural bushland, rainforest and landscapes.  Under this we see the smooth greenery of the regions open space grasslands, beneath which agriculture farm and grazing lands are engraved within the design. 

Blue water imagery symbolises the Hunter River flowing from its mountain origin and intercepting with the Goulburn in the Upper Hunter near Meriwarr (which was a meeting and trading place on the plains for Aboriginal people).  Middens, discarded shellfish over thousands of years, found in abundance around the area’s many waterways is interwoven across the bottom of the artwork.  Native bush tucker is symbolised through the lily pilly twig engraved within the design, along with native animals, which are represented by possum prints engravings, while  water life is reflected by fish imagery within the design.

Size: 1500 x 800 mm

Date: May 2020

Medium: Mixed medium

I enjoy providing an opportunity to communicate with you personally on artworks of interests and their significance and story.  My hope and vision for my online Gallery is to connect with each prospective buyer, allowing for interchange and sharing around your individual art needs, as would occur in a gallery or exhibition.  It is an honour to have my artwork integrated into your living or work space and I am available to you to ensure the acquisitions of my works is a gratifying and pleasurable experience.