Artist, Billy-Jay O'Toole, painted Wadawurrung Country and Connection in 2019.
The meaning behind the artwork:
The blue section of the painting represents our amazing ocean, bays, rivers, creeks and wetlands. The white creamy section represents our coastline with the footprints embedded into the sand, telling the story of our Old People who have been connected to this coastline for many of thousands of years.
The mountain represents the You Yangs which holds a special part of our history here on Wadawurrung country, with the seven gathering circles on the mountain representing the seven family groups within Wadawurrung.
Waa the Crow is our protector here on country, and Bunjil the Eagle is our creator.
The u shape people symbols represent my family of five generations still living on Wadawurrung country, my great grandmother Aunty Joyce Eccles my pop Norm Eccles, my Mum Corrina Eccles, myself and my beautiful daughter Alira. The eucalyptus leaves represent the cleansing of the Country when smoking ceremonies are performed by the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners.