The Journal of Australian Ceramics Vol 48 No 3 November 2009

Community
Michael Keighery, Points of View, (detail).
2008. Collins Rock, Woonona, NSW
during his epic voyage are quite well recognised, the role of the
Aboriginal West Wind (Oolaboolawoo) in the creation of the
islands off Wollongong Harbour are less well known to non­
Indigenous people.
Oolaboolawoo lived on the escarpment behind WOllongong
and had six daughters who were quite mischievous. In
frustration, Oolaboolawoo one day blew Mimosa out to sea
where she landed and formed the first of the Five Islands.
Subsequently, four of Mimosa's sisters were also blown out to
sea by their father and this left only the last, Geera, on the cliff.
In her loneliness, Geera allowed plants to grow over her and
today she is known as Mount Keira. Mimosa, meanwhile, grew
bored with being an island and transformed into a mermaid.
Called ##The Sirens of Willungah##, the ceramic and
stainless steel mural, with a $37,000 budget, was developed as
a collaboration with Koorie artists, sisters Lorraine Brown and
Narelle Thomas.
The intention was to make a large work that suited the
aesthetic of the redeveloped promenade and echoed the
shimmering quality of the harbour which the mural was to face. The work needed to be visually
appealing from a distance as well as being able to engage people upon closer inspection where
historical images and contemporary stories are presented as a series of 'pictures' in a way that references
framed pictures in a domestic setting.
Again, ceramic decals were made in Melbourne and fired onto commercial tiles and various patterns
were laser engraved onto custom-made 2mm thick stainless steel 'frames'. The service of mosaic
specialist Terry Cook was indispensable in integrating the key visual elements of the project.
Michael Keighery, Points of View, (detail), 2008, Collins Rock, Woonona, NSW
96 THE JOURNAL OF AUSTRALIAN CERAMICS NOVEMBER 2009