Dyarubbin

This long, winding and ancient river has been home to the Darug people for millennia and is a vital and sustaining resource. Darug culture, spirituality and sense of being are all intrinsically connected to the river. Its bends and features are encoded with meaning.  

 Dyarubbin’s fertile flood plains became prized agricultural land which was needed to support the early colony. 1794 marks the beginning of a period of devastation and loss for Darug people as settlers took land along the river, ultimately culminating in brutal warfare as Darug warriors fought to defend their lands and livelihoods.  

 The landscape of the river, the people who live there and the way it is used have changed, but Darug people still live, and thrive, on Dyarubbin. Darug knowledge-holders, artists and educators Leanne Watson, Jasmine Seymour, Erin Wilkins and Rhiannon Wright share their culture and stories of special sites along Dyarubbin as shared custodians of this beautiful and haunting place.  

 This exhibition showcases research established by Professor Grace Karskens in The Real Secret River, Dyarubbin, a collaborative project with Leanne, Jasmine, Erin and Rhiannon which won the 2018–19 Coral Thomas Fellowship.