Hawkesbury Regional Museum will open a new exhibition, 11 Stories from the River Dyarrubbin on Saturday, 9 September at Hawkesbury Regional Museum, 8 Baker Street, Windsor.
All welcome from 12:30pm!
The launch will be celebrated with a Welcome to Dharug Country, an official opening at 1pm by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Barry Calvert, and a live performance from Oonagh Sherrard, Jasmine Seymour and Barbara Webb. Free entry and light refreshments will be provided.
11 Stories from the River Dyarrubbin is a collaborative exhibition containing stories, videos, objects, and artwork. It is a collaboration between the Museum and local community members who shared their stories and music of the river. The exhibition asks audiences to follow the river and listen to how they may understand and care for it.
Dyarubbin is the Dharug word for the Hawkesbury River. 11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin is a public work formed by over 80 contributions from the wider Hawkesbury area including Dharug educators, long term residents, historians, scientists, descendants from early settlers, and school and university students.
Come along to hear stories of the river’s formation, Aboriginal culture, colonial settlers, and memories of historic floods, farming, boats, recreation, and ecology, from deep time to the very present.
The exhibition forms part of the 11 Stories Project commenced in 2018 by composer and producer Oonagh Sherrard.
As part of the project, Sherrard developed a series of 11 audio walks located along the banks of Dyarubbin between Yarramundi and Sackville. The audio walks feature the river’s history and focus on environmental concerns and aspects of ecology, geography, and geomorphology. The audio experience is carried by an original score of music, featuring contemporary Dharug singers and voices, inspired by the stories of the river.
“I grew up playing in the bush around Upper Cowan Creek on Lower Hawkesbury and lived on the Upper Hawkesbury for the last 20 years,” Oonagh Sherrard said.
“The ancient river system flowing across Dharug and Darkinjung Country is a constant source of inspiration to me.”
Walks online:
Yarramundi Audio Walk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i84tgNxhmeY
North Richmond Audio Walk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT2pAdADWi8
Pughs Lagoon Audio Walk, Marrang Ngurra / Richmond
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRKSfl6kId8
Streeton Lookout Audio Walk, Freeman’s Reach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEO61O7heJA
Howe and Deerubbin Parks Audio Walk, Balga Ngurrang / Windsor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oBlgiRo1lc
Macquarie Park Audio Walk, Freeman’s Reach
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-blgOraUuNs
Governor Phillip Park Audio Walk, Balga Ngurrang / Windsor
Pitt Town Lagoon Audio Walk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4s3WqWU0g0
Pictured above: Badu Murubig water path by Leanne Mulgo Watson 2022
Project acknowledgements: A collaborative public artwork led by composer/producer Oonagh Sherrard with Hawkesbury Regional Museum, Dharug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation, Western Sydney University Sustainable Futures, Hawkesbury Historical Society, and support from the NSW Government through Create NSW, Museums and Galleries NSW and the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australian Governments Arts funding and advisory body.
Acknowledgement
11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin acknowledges the Dharug and Darkinjung peoples as the Traditional Custodians of Country on which the project has its home and recognises their continuing connection to Country, Culture and Community.
The Hawkesbury Regional Museum is located at 8 Baker Street, Windsor and is open six days a week.
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 10am to 4pm
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 4pm
Closed Tuesdays
www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/museum
