Local artist Korrine Bennell-Yarran creating culturally significant mural at Eaton Bowling Club entry

An award-winning South West artist will be creating her latest artwork on the walls of the new Eaton Bowling Club and Senior Citizens building, as part of a key entry statement paying tribute to the cultural significance of the land. Noongar, Yamatji and Baiyungu artist Korrine Bennell-Yarran has been spending the past week creating the mural in her latest large-scale project. Ms Bennell-Yarran has had her works exhibited across WA’s art galleries, exhibitions, Perth’s Yagan Square and the Noongar Art Exchange in China. During the construction of the new building, the Shire of Dardanup consulted with Aboriginal elders, leading to an agreement that a cultural artwork be installed at the site, which is located next to Eagle (Walitch) Swamp, a confirmed place of Aboriginal cultural significance related to the Ngarngungudditj Walgu (the hairy faced snake), which created the entire Collie River system and associated wetlands. The mural will feature elements in keeping with the local surroundings such as sunsets/sunrises, waalitj (eagle), local fish species, pelicans and other birds, and trees and other native plants. Ms Bennell-Yarran said it felt great to have been picked as the artist to create the mural. “This is home for me so being able to do artwork like this at a place so significant not only for my family but for other Noongar families, it feels great,” she said. “Traditionally Noongar style of artwork was the Carrolup style which was another way of describing the landscape. “I wanted to use the eagles you see along this river and they have got an amazing nest and they have the best view out of anyone and it’s amazing to see them catch fish, go back to their nest and raise their hatchlings. “I wanted to incorporate an eagle and its nest in a tree while also overlooking the river.” Assisting Ms Bennell-Yarran with the mural is fellow artist Giuseppe Rugnetta from The Papa Giuseppe, who has experience with large-scale public art projects using aerosol paints and other mediums to create feature artworks. Ms Bennell-Yarran said she was thankful for Mr Rugnetta’s assistance because she had not used spray paint as a medium before. “I’ve used many different types of mediums but never really used spray paint so aerosol artwork is very new to me, but I am learning so much which is great,” she said. “What’s really fun about it is seeing my skills grow in such a short period of time but I’ve still got a lot to learn.” Dardanup Shire president Mick Bennett said the mural would serve as a “beautiful” entry statement for visitors for years to come. “Acknowledging the cultural significance of the land where the new bowling club sits and indeed the larger area of the Eaton Foreshore has been a priority of council for some time,” he said.