A bit about the project:

The Centre for Research of Excellence (CRE) focuses on the health and wellbeing of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families, carers and communities. They focus particularly on brain health. In this 5 year project, they will be working with communities across Australia to find better ways of supporting older people to live well and age well - particularly when it comes to brain health.

Meaning of the On TRACK artwork

I have used a tree as the main object to represent health for Aboriginal people as they need to be connected to their culture, family and Country in order to feel at their best, like a tree needs air, water and is connected to Mother Earth through its roots, to stand tall and strong.

I have done the brain as the treetop which can also be looked at as just the top of the tree but inside the brain is all the connections that will be made through this program, with the circles representing the different mobs and community groups that will benefit from the information and the green connecting lines representing the connections and networking it will create through-out Australia.

The pattern in the tree trunk represents water nourishing the tree for optimal health and longevity, just as it does for our people.

The leaves on the outside represent Country and bush medicine as being connected to Country is Aboriginal people’s medicine. We can never underestimate the healing power of Country and the deep sense of well-being it creates, pleasing all the senses.

The journey lines represent the people’s journey towards healthy choices to improve their brain health, which in turn, will affect many other areas in their lives that will also benefit. The footprints represent the people on their journey. At the bottom of the tree trunk is a pattern that represents Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people working together towards a healthier future.