A beautiful artwork representing the walking tracks of Aboriginal ancestors will soon brighten a brand new bus which is set to be added to Moree's On Demand public transport service next month.
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Lena Smith was this week announced as the winner of Reynolds and Fogarty's Indigenous Art Competition, run in conjunction with Transport for NSW to find an artwork to feature on the new On Demand bus.
Although the artworks could be of any medium, they had to have a storyline relating to reconciliation, which Reynolds and Fogarty manager Andrew Amos said the bus drivers can then share with visitors to town.
"The winning entry appealed to us and it had a storyline which was similar to Reynolds and Fogarty's outlook about transport," Mr Amos said.
Ms Smith's artwork, titled Gomeroi Dhawan, represents the walking tracks that her ancestors have used for generations to travel their homelands to connect with neighbouring mobs and clans for trading and ceremony.
In the artwork's description, she explained how the Aboriginal people lived in harmony with their surrounding natural environment - a requirement to move from camp to camp according to the seasons, ensuring not to deplete the flora and fauna or aquatic life that had sustained them for many thousands of years.
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"The footprints represent my people and their walking tracks, most of which have now been covered in bitumen for vehicles to use to travel vast distances, just like my people did," Ms Smith said.
"The black and white handprints is a representation that one day both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people can too live in harmony and continue to care for this land that has sustained us both for many years and hopefully years to come."
As the winner of the competition, Ms Smith has won $3000 as well as the opportunity to have her artwork displayed on the new bus, as well as an additional $500 licence fee for each year the artwork is displayed on a bus.
Second place in the competition was Elizabeth Duncan, who has won $1000 for her artwork Waterholes and long deep springs.
Ms Duncan's painting, which features seeds and branches of cane, depicts Moree's natural artesian water.
"The three dark brown circles with seeds surrounding them are my watering holes, and surrounding the waterholes are our long, deep springs with three whirlpools," she said.
George See won $500 for third place with his artwork Man in the Moon, which depicts a gathering of tribes.
"Every year once or twice a year, all the tribes in the area would gather at one place to have meetings, gatherings, ceremonies, corroboree etc," Mr See said in his artwork's description.
"Today the first tribes had arrived and upon a ledge one of the leaders was looking out to see how many campfires were out there. Another tribe arrived and all they could see is the man in the moon."
Unfortunately there were no entries for the under 16s competition.
All up there were 17 entries, which Mr Amos said was pleasing.
"We wish to commend the entrants on the quality of work submitted," he said.
Each of the entries are currently on display at the Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre, in conjunction with NAIDOC Week this week (November 8 to 15).
Reynolds and Fogarty is hoping to run the competition again next year, with a greater range of categories.
Meanwhile, the new bus will be launched to the community, featuring Ms Smith's artwork, on December 1.
