STORY - Ngulingah Jagun

This artwork is a celebration of our First Nations Peoples who have thrived and lived sustainably with the land we call Australia for more than 60,000 years. We have been here since time began and we are the oldest and longest continuing culture on the planet. Where other civilisations have been and gone, we are still here, and we continue to maintain the world's oldest culture. It is one of our nation's greatest assets.

The connecting meeting place symbols in the centre represent the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and our Country. Our relationship with Country is sacred, and is interconnected with our culture, family and kinship, traditions, songlines, languages, and physical,spiritual and emotional wellbeing.

The lines and detailed patterns across the artwork symbolise our songlines and an aerial view of Country. Country is central to our culture. It is our mother, is steeped in our culture, and gives us our identity and sense of belonging. To have survived from the times of our mega fauna and great land mass changes, we learned and gained the living skills within our natural environment to still be here today.

The dotted travel lines and symbols surrounding the meeting place symbols represents our ancestors. We are the ancient people of this land - we respect and listen to the land, our elders and the ancient spirits - our ancestors have walked this country for millennia and continue to live on in the land, water and the sky. Stories and ancestors are embedded in our country to make sure we look after our mother earth.

This artwork represents us respecting and caring for this land, protecting our First Nations songlines, cultures, languages and ceremonies. Honouring this reciprocal relationship with the land is central to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and is a concept important for all people living in Australia today.