Shared path artworks
The interpretive approach for the shared path reflects the themes and narratives of the M7 Public Art Collection. It incorporates rest stop artworks and interpretative elements that celebrate Aboriginal practices, such as weaving and carving, as well as wayfinding markers.
Frontier Warriors - Spears
Co-created by Jamie Eastwood (Ngemba/Dharug) and Balarinji Studio. The Frontier Warriors artwork is continued at the Bernara Road rest stop in the form of two warrior spears. These spears stand as powerful symbols of the resistance and resilience of Dharug warriors. The artwork acknowledges the Aboriginal people who fought for Dharug Country during the Frontier Wars. It reflects the pre-colonial landscape and ecology of Western Sydney and a conflicted Australian past at the point of colonisation. The work represents resilience and strength as well as enduring belonging and custodianship, honouring the legacy of those who defended their Country with courage and commitment.
Bayala Guwiyana (Yarning Around The Fire)
Co-created by Jamie Eastwood (Ngemba/Dharug) and Balarinji Studio. The Bayala Guwiyang artwork is continued at the Villiers Road rest stop. The two cast aluminium poles, one black and one white, represent the unity between black and white soldiers on the battlefield, the truth telling of Aboriginal war service, the significance of fire in caring for Country and as a symbol of courage forged in the furnace of battle. Accompanying this artwork on the shared path are candid post-war accounts from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen about the injustices they faced and their struggle for equality and inclusion on returning home.
Sun, Moon, Coming Together
Co-created by Jamie Eastwood (Ngemba/Dharug) and Balarinji Studio. The Sun, Moon, Coming Together ground inlay, located at the M7/M12 interchange rest stop, symbolises the unity of all cultures and communities coming together under the same sun.
Poppies
Co-created by Jamie Eastwood (Ngemba/Dharug) and Balarinji Studio. The Poppies ground inlay, located at the Motorway Control Centre rest stop, reflects the meaning of flowers for Aboriginal peoples, indicating seasonal change and sustainability. The poppy is also a symbol of remembrance for soldiers who have fallen in war.
Ngaya Ngurra (My Country)
Co-created by Jasmine Seymour (Dharug) and Balarinji Studio. The words of the ground inlay at Dobroyd Drive Rest Area, Ngaya Ngurra, mean My Country in the Dharug language. This work represents caring for and sustaining Country. The Dharug language is an essential component of keeping culture and knowledge alive.
Dyuguma (Dilly Bag)
Co-created by Corina Wayali Norman (Dharug/Dharawal) and Balarinji Studio. Located at the Dobroyd Drive rest stop, the cast bronze sculpture of a dilly bag and native currants is a symbol of women’s roles in sustaining communities and ensuring the survival and continuation of cultural practices, like gathering food and healing. Dilly bags and baskets were traditionally made on Country using a weaving style that continues to be practiced today. Used for collecting food, this dilly bag representation holds native currants, a vital food source with potent medicinal properties, commonly used as an antiseptic to treat wounds and sores. This work reflects the idea of sustainability through caring for Country, a practice inherent to the way Aboriginal peoples lived, purposefully hunting and gathering only what was needed to feed their families. As a result, native plants and animals would remain healthy and plentiful, ensuring these precious resources would remain and thrive year after year, for generations to come.
Find out more about the M7 Shared Path
