During NAIDOC Week 2024, I was invited by Elecnor Australia to lead a special community art project with the M.A.K.E Group at my gallery and studio in Coleambally. Together, we created a vibrant painting celebrating the Dinawan (emu) — a powerful symbol of strength, resilience, and forward movement — which now proudly resides at the Dinawan Camp as a lasting expression of culture, creativity, and connection to Country.

It was a wonderful and rewarding experience to coordinate and facilitate this project with such a talented group of women. The artwork took shape at the Kerri Weymouth Art Gallery & Studio, where the group gathered to share stories, ideas, and creativity. At its centre, the Dinawan represents endurance and the spirit of never walking backward, only forward. Surrounding it are small emu tracks, large oblong eggs, and flowing water lines that reflect the movement of Country and the paths the emus roam.

During the process, we also had several visits to the Dinawan Camp site, where the team hosted us and a group of community seniors for a shared lunch. On that day, we facilitated a workshop for the seniors, the M.A.K.E Group, and the Dinawan Camp workers. It was a beautiful day of connection filled with laughter, storytelling, and creativity and a wonderful opportunity for everyone to share in the making process and contribute their ideas.

This project was a beautiful collaboration between M.A.K.E Group artists — June Weymouth, Verona Harrison, Sarah Weymouth, Barb Freer, Lorna Wigham, and Joylene Lashbrook — with myself as lead facilitator and contributing artist. Each of us brought our own creativity and cultural storytelling to the piece, weaving together a powerful story of connection and community.