Transects - Windows Into Boandik Country Exhibition

The City of Mount Gambier welcome public viewing of an important exhibition of new interpretive works developed by students from Canberra University, titled 'Transects - Windows Into Boandik Country'. The Exhibition will be showcassed in the King's Floor, Main Corner from Friday 6th December, 2013 until Thursday 12th December, 2013 for free viewing to the public.

Take a look at the Transects Exhibition Catalouge here. 

If you attended the exhibition and would like to make comment, please feel free to do so at the conclusion of this article.

This significant exhibition 'Transects - Windows in Boandik Country' is the result of a landscape architecture investigation that involved studio based studies of counter mapping techniques; in addition to field-based studies of the Aboriginal history, knowledge, stories and occupation of the lower South-East region of South Australia.

City of Mount Gambier Presiding Member of the Lifelong Learning Sub-Committee, Councillor Jim Maher said the students travelled to Mount Gambier in September this year to conduct research for the exhibition.

 "The students were accompanied by Aboriginal community elders and other knowledgeable experts, whilst they researched various cultural and social aspects of our landscape by travelling along four transects," Councillor Maher said.

"The students collected stories from local people about Boandik occupation land management systems and their research has been translated into a series of large beautifully made, three dimensional interpretive maps.

"These works are the product of student’s engagement with our community, our physical landscape and our people," Councillor Maher commented.

The students took audio and visual recordings of various sites of significance in our region; such as caves, middens, wetlands, homesteads, trees and campsites. The information identified as part of the field project have been interpreted and artistically represented in different forms, all of which will feature in the exhibition at Main Corner.

The City of Mount Gambier is proud to be hosting this exhibition in the Main Corner and recognises it is an important step in our commitment to building respectful relationships with our Aboriginal community, striving to learn together and from each other.

"The City of Mount Gambier is committed to being recognised as a Lifelong learning community and we believe this project is an excellent model of successfully bringing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community groups together to share and celebrate the richness of Aboriginal knowledge available to us," Councillor Maher said.

"We also recognise that collaborations such as this enable our City to share our story with both national and international audiences," Councillor Maher concluded.

The works in this exhibition are the result of a diverse knowledge sharing partnership, which involves local farmers, land owners, archaeologists and botanists; alongside the South East Aboriginal Focus Group, Forestry SE, the South East Natural Resources Management Board, Burrandies Corporation, students, Canberra University and the City of Mount Gambier.

For further information please contact City of Mount Gambier Presiding Member of the Lifelong Learning Sub-Committee, Councillor Jim Maher on 0408 250 864; or City of Mount Gambier Community Development Officer, Alison Brash on (08) 8721 2504 or abrash@mountgambier.sa.gov.au.