The Rainbow Serpent mural at Point Cook Pop Up Park
In partnership with CoLocal, we are proud to unveil new mural featuring The Rainbow Serpent at the Pop Up Park. Find out about the art and the artists below 👇
About the Artists
Fiona Clarke is a strong Gunditjmara/ Kirrae Whurrong woman who has been a practising First Nations artist for over 33 years. Fiona is an established tapestry and canvas artist who's artwork 'Walkabout Wickets' is currently worn proudly by the Australian Cricket Team. She has been a Victorian Aboriginal Art teacher at the Warnnambool Institute of TAFE where she taught Aboriginal community members to build confidence in themselves, their art, and their culture. Fiona's strength, pride and passion for her culture continues to be an inspiration for young and old, Indigenous, and Non-Indigenous artists. We're so thrilled to partner with her on this art piece.
Kenneth McKean, born in Warrnambool and married to Fiona Clarke has also been a practising artist for over 33 years. Ken, now 60 years old, has been involved in the Aboriginal community, (predominantly the Gunditjmara and Kirrae Whurrong communities), since the age of 17. Ken was part of the founding board of the Tararer Gunditj Project Association Incorporated, who held annual festivals for 21 years focused on lifting awareness of Aboriginal culture, arts and reconciliation. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and continues to use his skill and passion to champion the First Nations Peoples of Australia.
About the Mural
The mural has been created with two key pieces, the Rainbow Serpent weaving through Pop Up Park, and the Zebra Crossing connecting people and being a place of gathering.
Find out about the meanings within the murals below:
The Serpent is a creator god who lives in many Aboriginal stories across Australia. The Serpent snakes from one watering hole to the next replenishing waterholes across Country. The rainbow colour represents the diversity of the local Point Cook community.
Throughout the mural you will also find ties to Aboriginal culture and the local Point Cook community including:
Meeting Circles
To represent the strong community spirit of Point Cook and First Nations people gathering together for festivals, events, special occasions.
Emu Foot Prints
To represent the birds and wildlife who inhabit the Point Cook wetlands
Minkgills
Stars to represent the dreaming. Within the many First Nations stories stars are frequently an important part of the story. Usually at the end of a story, the characters of a story end up in the night sky as constellations. For many Australian children too stars were a beautiful sparkling light in the sky they could make a wish by. Of course too sitting by a fire at night with the stars shining in the night sky are a beautiful sight to remind us of the vast Universe we live in.
Blue Wren
The little, ‘Blue Wren’ who are frequently seen in the area swishing their tails around, their vibrant bright blue colours flashing wherever they go.
New Holland Honey Eater
Another important element to the local community is the wildlife who live in our environment such as the New Holland Honeyeater, a bird that frequently lives and visits the local area.
Orange Bellied Parrot
The Orange Bellied Parrot a little colourful bird that until recently was becoming a rare sight in the Point Cook area. Thanks to local efforts numbers are rising again
Swans
Swans love the wetlands. It’s a place where they can make their nests and raise their babies. Swans were also important to First Nations people who would hunt swans eggs for food. First Nations are stealthy hunters and would sneak up to a nest and gather one or two eggs, but never too many as it is important for the swan wildlife to be sustained and not threaten their numbers. Not being greedy and not taking more than they need has seen First Nations man and nature thrive together for 80,000 years.
The Foundations
Behind the Rainbow Serpent you will find the line works of the land including the hills, rocks, mountains and rivers that flow through it. Eels can be seen swimming along making their long journey up and down the rivers and out to sea, as part of their life cycle spawning, transforming and sustaining life along the way as bush tucker for the many wildlife and peoples.
The Zebra Crossing
The Pop Up Park zebra crossing is used for a few purposes. Of course, for walking across when the road is in use but also as a stage to perform or gather to watch a movie. The artwork is full of meaning including stars, swans eggs, footprints (human and animal!), rivers, rocks, and of course the beautiful meeting circle in the middle. The colours of the crossing follow on from the ‘Rainbow Serpent’ representing the diversity of the Point Cook community.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge all partners that made this mural possible: CoLocal, Wyndham City Council, Stockland, Surburban Revitalisation and Victoria State Government.
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