The Coolamon Project
At 66 Eagle Street—an important junction where the river’s sands meet and where rainforest once thrived under Aboriginal care—Jody Rallah reflects on the enduring resonance of Country now echoed in urban infrastructure, including Creek Street’s historic water flow into the Maiwar (Brisbane River).
Her installation, The Coolamon Project, features a collection of handmade ceramic Coolamons, created through community-based collaborations that reflect the form and spirit of a traditional yarning circle. Coolamons, once carved from tree bark and used for everything from child-carrying to food preparation, become in Rallah’s hands symbolic vessels of culture, memory, and resistance. The project speaks to the diversity of Indigenous Australian Nations and celebrates over 80,000 years of cultural continuity and strength. Each Coolamon rests on sand sourced from the Maiwar, grounding the installation in place and honouring Country as both witness and participant in this ongoing story.
