NORMANTON - CARPENTARIA LILY WETLANDS
“this sculptural form provides a focal point exploring important endemic species, the carpentaria waterlily and magpie geese, that represent connections within the Normanton community telling the stories of the past, present and future.” manning daly art
Carpentaria Lily Wetlands by Manning Daly Art. Image credit Phlip Vids
Normanton is the heart of the Gulf Country, where rich outback history meets large, remote working cattle stations. The traditional lands of Kukatj, Gkuthaarn, and Kurtijar encompass Delta Downs Station which is one of Australia’s most successful Indigenous-operated enterprises and Australia’s first cattle station to be run by Traditional Owners.
Normanton Visitor Information Centre houses displays designed to capture and recognise the contribution, resilience, spirit and hard work of the Indigenous men and women who played a vital role in establishing the Gulf Region’s prosperous cattle industry. The Indigenous Stockmen Display features the names and stories of local stockmen. The Indigenous Rodeo Riders Exhibition features cattlemen who followed the rodeo circuits with accompanying poems depicting life in the rodeo arena. The Working on Cattle Stations: Aboriginal Women’s Stories display features internationally significant and award-winning portraits.
Just a short walk from the Visitor Information Centre and sculpture you will find the Mutton Hole Wetlands Conservation Park which is home to an array of waterbirds and a breeding ground for crocodiles. Here, visitors can enjoy this magnificent natural environment and the species that were the inspiration for the Normanton artistic composition. Simply follow the walking tracks through the seasonal wetlands to view the Normanton Waterlily and Magpie Geese throughout summer months.
The Normanton lily is as resilient as the people who live in the region and has a unique ability to flower 24 hours a day for up to nine days. Amongst the lilies you will find intricate floating rafts, made of woven grass, created by the Magpie Geese to house their developing eggs during the wet season.
Carpentaria Lily Wetlands by Manning Daly Art. Image credit Phlip Vids
“Waterlily petals provide dynamic shapes for the presentation of the Mutton Hole Wetlands and Magpie Geese taking to the sky. Through consultation with community representatives, the Carpentaria Waterlily and Magpie Geese were identified as significant species within the region.
These bold sculptural forms pay homage to the abundance of the wildlife in Mutton Hole Wetlands Conservation Area by creating a unique sense of place reflecting the wetlands and connecting rich and meaningful references that are grounded and embedded in the region and its unique landscape.”
Manning Daly Art