Story Behind the Artwork
The Normanhurst Public School mural celebrates Aboriginal culture, connection to Country and the school’s community through storytelling, traditional symbols and native animals.
The artwork features culturally significant animals, including the possum, stingray, kangaroo, snapper and goanna. The animals are incorporated into coloured sections representing the school’s sporting houses, connecting Aboriginal cultural storytelling with the identity of the school community.
Meeting places symbolise the gathering of students, teachers and families, while flowing waterways acknowledge the importance of water to Country and the natural environment.
Traditional Aboriginal art symbols representing food, tools and weapons recognise the knowledge, skills and resources used by Aboriginal people and passed down through generations.
Students were actively involved in creating the mural, contributing to sections featuring totem animals, meeting places, waterways, food, tools and weapons. Their participation created a personal connection to the artwork and an opportunity to learn through cultural storytelling and creativity.
Together, these elements celebrate Aboriginal cultural knowledge, student participation and the connections between Country, community and learning.