Rainbow Serpent Water Feature: Kamilaroi, Indigenous culture, Gunnedah

At the meeting on October 18, the council resolved to allocate $150,000 from the savings from the Simpsons Bridge Project – which has come in under budget – towards the completion of the sculpture. Concept designs for the water feature were also endorsed at the meeting.

Council’s acting general manager, Colin Formann, said the total project cost is estimated at approximately $300,000. In 2016, the council approved funding of $25,000 for design and construction plans.

“A grant or sponsorship will need to be found to fund the other $150,000 before the project can proceed,” he said.

“We've got a design that is supported by the Kamiloroi women's group and they're the women that have been involved since the inception.

“We've got the design ready to go so we've got a good chance of finding a grant.”

The water feature will be constructed at the front of the Civic Centre and will feature more than 20 mosaic tiles.

Plans for the water feature started in 2003, with the original design developed by Glen Innes artists Max Powell and Bronwyn McKean from drawings completed by Aboriginal leader Ellen Draper. 

About ten women worked on the mosaic tiles, cutting and placing fragments of different coloured tiles to create images of fish and animals, and hands, using the palms of June Cox’s grandchildren.

One of the women, Gloria Foley, said they had to learn how to cut the tiles and were assisted by their children and grandchildren.

“We were doing two days a week for two years,” Ms Foley said.

“It was more of a family thing.

“It’s really special to us but it’s going to be really good for the whole community.”

The project has lapsed for a number of years, however, with the endorsement of the design, the women are now back in action, choosing the colours of the tiles that will feature in the rainbow wave within the serpent design.

“We’ve waited a long time. We never thought it would happen,” Ms Cox said.

"[Now] we’re halfway there; it makes us happy.”

Ms Cox and Ms Foley said the project was significant to the Kamilaroi people.

“To us, this is a memorial to our families and our ancestors that have passed before us,” Ms Cox said.

Council’s arts and cultural officer, Lauren Mackley, is working alongside the women and said it was unique project.

“It’s very rare to have works done by Indigenous women in a public space,” she said.

Gunnedah councillor Owen Hasler was mayor when the project began and said he remains supportive of it.

“I believe it is important to recognise that we have 11.5 per cent Indigenous in our shire – five times the national and state average, and recognising their cultural heritage is important and worthwhile for the whole community,” he said.