The spirit of place
On a recent visit to South West WA I had a sense of the journey we were about to take. The Karri Forests, the Indian and Southern Oceans, the spectacular beaches, the wineries, the Cape to Cape walk, the lighthouses….
What I didn’t quite expect was the focus on art and none more so than in a small town called Northcliffe about 30 minutes drive south from Pemberton.
Here is ‘Australia’s leading art in nature experience’, and the promo wasn’t exaggerating.
Known as Understory, this art and nature trail, gently guides participants through a 1.2 km walk circuit on the lands of the Noongar/ Nyoongar nation.
Metameres at Work by Ian Dowling, This work references the hardworking organisms that turn forest litter into nutrients for the plant world.
The sculptures, songs and stories celebrate the beauty, diversity and resilience of the natural environment, all made by local, state, national and international artists. These pieces explore biodiversity, ancient geology, fire, various forest species like Yarri, Marri and Karri, symbiosis and indigenous history.
The trail invites you to walk slowly, observe and immerse yourself and connect with the environment on a deeper level. Of significance is the story behind this venture developed and managed by the local community.
Children's Story Nooks by Kati Thamo, Each nook is associated with a different story by WA author Dianna Wolfer. Children are encouraged to sit and listen to stories through an audio guide.
Origin Story
“The seed for Southern Forest Arts was sown in the midst of the major social, political and economic upheaval felt by the South West community of Northcliffe surrounding the ‘old growth forest’ debate compounded by the de-regulation of the dairy industry the turn of the millennium.
Within a few short years, the two main industries had almost collapsed. Instead of despair, a group of local artists and art-lovers came together to reimagine another future.
By combining our two key passions – our incredible natural environment and our creative people – in way that was relevant to our local experience and nationally unique, we launched our Understory Art & Nature Trail and Painted Tree Gallery in 2006 as part of our inaugural Southern Forest Arts Festival. Since then we’ve refined our focus and expanded the reach of our impact.” 1
Pathways by Peter Hill, These branches grow out into the available space, linking the earth to the sky.
What an extraordinary story, and what persistence and resilience was shown by the local community. They regrouped and created a new future for this region. Full credit to its team and Fiona Sinclair, Artistic Director and GM. Inspires me to consider all the places we could use public art as a means to heal after a conflict, collaborate and regenerate an area.
Quorum of Quokkas by Mikaela Castledine, Series of 7 sculptures that highlight mainland endemic marsupials.
Imagine More by Fiona Gacino, Woven cane utilised to imagine more, a weave of possibilities.
Balga by Sharyn Egan, Balga are significant plants for Noongar people , used for a variety of purposes.
Rising from the Ashes by Kim Perrier. I think there were at least 30 of these portraits of local residents etched and carved into the trees, to commemorate the 2015 Northcliffe bushfires that burned out of control for three week. Each person depicted was directly affected and very much told a story of a lose of security.
