Project to bring local culture to Busselton laneway

A new artwork involving local Aboriginal artists is about to be painted along the laneway between Kent and Duchess streets in Busselton. In planning for almost three years by community group Building Busselton Town Team, the mural will adorn the 70m wall at the rear of the Woolworths supermarket. Building Busselton Town Team has appointed Thelma Harris to work with local Aboriginal artists to design a concept to be known as Boodja Koondarminy — Country Dreaming. Local artists who have been collaborating on the project include Melanie Hume, India Armstrong and Stefan Calyon with professional street artist Samuel Allen to be checking in on the artwork as it progresses. The concept of Boodja Koondarminy is based on feedback collected over the last three years from Aboriginal elders and community members including schoolchildren. It is described by the artists as being “along the lines of our country and all that the land provides for us. These are bush foods and animals from the land and sea. It will also represent each town from this region and the story around the names”. There will be adult footprints leading children across the ancestors’ land, walking through Dreamtime. It symbolises the way traditional hunting and gathering ways were learnt. Images of animals both on the land and in the ocean will run along the wall. Circles of golden brown will show the different meeting places of the people from tuart forest to Yallingup. “This artwork is a tribute to our culture and acknowledges our connection to this land for thousands of years,” Ms Harris said. “Our artists show how our people shared their ways and worked with the country to live. It will be educational to all people of the community and we are really proud that this has been achieved with a local community group, Building Busselton. “The City of Busselton has also been very supportive through this process as a sponsor and for in-kind administration support.” Other contributors to the artwork include a Community Participation and Inclusion grant from the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, Lotterywest, Doral, Plico Energy, Woolworths staff, Rio Tinto and Cape Insurance Services. It is intended that the mural will also include a community artwork where Aboriginal families, and the broader community will be invited to leave their mark.