Story Behind the Artwork
This contemporary Aboriginal mural celebrates the Hurstville Public School community, Aboriginal cultural knowledge and connection to Country.
The central blue meeting place represents Hurstville Public School, bringing together the students, teachers and wider school community.
The upper green section symbolises the land, featuring goannas as important totem animals and a variety of bush tucker plants traditionally used for food, medicine, tools and weapons. A journey pathway connects meeting places along the way, representing the experiences and learning journeys students undertake throughout their time at school.
The lower blue section represents the waterways, which provided Aboriginal people with an abundance of food and natural resources. Eels are featured as another important totem animal of the area.
Four meeting places in the centre incorporate the colours of the school’s sporting houses, while traditional symbols, including a hunting boomerang, coolamon and symbols for men and women, represent the students and adults within the school community.
Handprints acknowledge the strength and knowledge of the Traditional Custodians and the significance of Aboriginal rock art throughout the local area.
Together, these elements tell a story of Country, cultural identity, community and the shared journey of learning and growing together.