Maria Lock and Robert on Dharug Country
Co-created by Jamie Eastwood (Ngemba/Dharug) and Balarinji Studio
Co-created by Jasmine Seymour (Dharug), who celebrates being a descendant of Maria Lock, and Balarinji Studio. This artwork honours Dharug matriarch Maria Lock who broke barriers in education and in pursuing Aboriginal rights. It references her marriage to convict carpenter Robert Lock and their nine surviving children, from whom many Dharug people descend. The M7 Public Art Collection narratives are interconnected through Maria’s story; her family who fought in the Frontier Wars, her descendants who fought in the World Wars and her descendants today who continue to uphold and enrich Dharug culture. The bronze sculptures are visible on the Elizabeth Hills batter of the M7 Motorway.
