PHOTO: Project Manager Andrew Hull and Advisory Panel member Nina Sands discuss ideas for artworks at Tin Town.
Planners for the Regional Art Trail (RAT) are narrowing in on artworks to honour the families of Tin Town.
Some former residents and their descendants sat down with Council staff and project manager Andrew Hull lonThursday 5 March to consider suggestions at ‘the Island’ between the Castlereagh River and Warrena Creek.
Nina Sands, one of the RAT advisory panel members, highlighted one of the goals of the project which is to show, in a public way, the story of Aboriginal occupation and stewardship of the area.
“We know we’re a part of this community,” said Nina.
“We don’t want to lose these stories, it’s important we capture them to pass on to our children.”
The group of around 20 people mulled over a list of project goals and concepts to help inspire their vision of what the final artworks could look like.
“What we’ve heard here is that generations to come will always seek to come back to this place, to trace their story and to connect with their past.
“So what we create here needs to capture the story, make it accessible, and be a touchstone for all future generations.
“That’s an exciting concept,” said Andrew Hull.
The group discussed using digital media accessed through QR codes, various signage and markers to memorialise places, sculptural works to invoke part of the story of what life was like in and around the site.
A resident of a former camping ground at ‘The Cutting,’ where the Eurimie Creek meets the Castlereagh River, also brought up recognition of that site.
The Tin Town component of the project has a budget of about $40,000 and is scheduled to be installed within about five months.
“It seems like we need to consider multiple things that in some way to tell a story, to represent or make a marker,” Mr Hull said.
As well as an homage to the Aboriginal camp at Tin Town, the Regional Art Trail will see murals on the bore shed and toilet block in Coonamble’s Smith Park, which Mr Hull said was heading into the design phase.
“We’ve engaged a mural artist to actually paint the sheds which may be a bit daunting for most people” says Andrew.
“But we really want to see local art depicted in those murals, so we’ll be launching an Expression of Interest process where local artists and students can create designs for the mural artist to work with and depict in the final painting.
“We think there is potential to incorporate several different artworks in a sensitive and importantly, beautiful way.”
Gulargambone will have more galah sculptures at existing markers on its northern and southern entry points, and Quambone will have a Wailwan contemplation area near the local playground.
Brochures promoting the works will be distributed once they are installed to encourage visitors to get to know the towns and its peoples.
Coonamble Shire Council secured $230,000 for the projects from the NSW government in 2023, aimed at encouraging tourism to the shire.