Cloncurry Water Tank
In the heart of North West Queensland, this old abandoned water tank laid waste. The Zookeeper was commisioned by the Cloncurry Shire council to create a work that would draw tourists from the highway, to the lookout sitting high above the town of Cloncurry. The artwork depicts two Cloncurry locals gazing out across the ancient Mitakooti landscape. The work pays tribute to the Royal Flying Doctors Service, the Kuradilla (Eaglehawk) a culturally significant bird for the Mitakooti people.
Barrack - A Mitakooti boy
I met Barrack at a Naidoc week celebration at the Cloncurry State school. Barrack was one of many dancers who performed on the evening as part of the Deadly dancers. Barrack is nephew to Hombre major who is an elder amongst the Mitakooti people. Hombre helped develop some of the themes and culturally significant elements included in this artwork. It was a great honor to spend time learning of the area through the lens of the Mitakooti people.
I spent many afternoons over a month period, travelling the wider region with Hombre, being shared some of his favourite places and past times living in Cloncurry. The experience left me with a much deeper appreciation and understanding of Australia, and how i connect with its history.
Brianna - A deadly dancer
I also met Brianna following the Naidoc week celebration. Brianna was a deadly dancer and from a family who had lived in Cloncurry for many moons. In this work, i wanted to connect the present with the past. I chose to depict Brianna setting in flight a paper plane with the Royal Flying Doctors Service on it. In Cloncurry’s early years, it laid claim to being the first town in Australia for the Royal Flying Doctors Service to take flight from. The RFDS today connects all of the isolated regional communities across Australia providing life giving service to those who would otherwise be lost.
