River Country Program Brings Culture, Creativity, and Connection to Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre in Moree
16-04-2025
The River Country program, an immersive exploration of the Murray-Darling rivers and wetlands. made a stop in Moree earlier this month at the Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre, for a unique celebration of Culture and Country.
It brought the community into the exhibition, inviting them to contribute their own river stories to the evolving display. The four days of events revolved around a pop-up exhibition where visitors were able to wander through wetland landscapes, spotting pelicans and platypuses among the red river gums. The exhibition showcased the creative voices of more than 100 artists and students from across the Murray-Darling system and was brought to life by artists S.A. Adair and Kirsten Wehner.
The program offered a series of free community events, beginning with Thursday night’s astronomy experience where Yuwaalaraay/Gamilaroi artist Jason Wilson guided attendees, sharing the spiritual stories and cultural significance of our skies. Friday’s film screening of More than a Fish Kill sparked powerful conversations about ecological healing through art, with a panel including local Elders and creative contributors.
Throughout the week, school students participated in workshops led by artist and educator Samantha Davies and artist and curator Kirsten Wehner. The workshops were designed to encourage the young people to express their own connections to water and Country through art and storytelling.
The program culminated on Saturday with a Walk on Gomeroi Country, led by Aunt Anna Duncan, offering insights into local sites of cultural importance. Reflecting on the program, Aunt Anna said: “This is more than a showcase of creative work, it’s about connecting diverse communities . . . and promoting healing through shared understanding.”
It was the latest stop for the travelling exhibition and program after Broken Hill and Narrandera. It takes a lot to make something this special happen. This inspiring series of events and programs was presented by The Cad Factory, the National Museum of Australia, and Petaurus Education Group and made possible by the NSW Government through Create NSW and the Department of Regional NSW, with additional support from James Fairfax Foundation, the Sydney Environment Institute at the University of Sydney, Menindee Aboriginal Elders Council, Otis Filley Studios, Macquarie University, University of Canberra, Arts North West, Moree Plains Shire Council.
A great project for ACHAA Associate Member Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre to showcase as a place to connect community, culture, and creativity.
