A new community project has provided an amazing space where locals and visitors can stop and have a ‘yarn’.
The Werrpanakata Fish Park in Brown Park, Deniliquin was officially opened on Wednesday, after the installation of a locally built and created mural and covered outdoor learning area.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Yarkuwa Indigenous Knowledge Centre chair Jeanette Crew officiated the ceremony, which brought together many of the groups and people who have contributed to the project over many years.
‘‘The COLA and Fish Park is a place where people can gather for lunch or picnics, or just relax,’’ she said.
‘‘It will also be a meeting place and we can have workshops, deliver educational programs about the cultural significance in the landscape, the importance of wetlands, young people can also learn about how different fish bite and what they bite on.
‘‘We hope that locals and visitors alike use and enjoy the park.’’
The COLA area is referred to as the ‘yarning place’, and stands in the centre of an island in the lagoon.
Adorned with native imagery and themes, the evocative installation was constructed from a curved eco-board wall — resembling a bark bowl — and designed to surround a fire pit.
It was built by Ian Fisher, who has had a hand in the restoration of the fish park since the early days.
Featuring six panels in total, the illustrations on the left and right outermost panels were painted by his daughter Carly Fisher.
Its four centre panels were painted with the help of ten students from Deniliquin High School, Moama Grammar and St Michael’s Primary School.
Carly and Ian Fisher stand in front of one of the two panels Carly contributed to the project.
Image 2 of 5
Lara, Jake, and Zarly Horne in front of the fish park sign
Image 3 of 5
Ian Fisher explaining the significance of the COLA’s various illustrations.
Image 4 of 5
Contributing artists (from left) Lily Andrews, Grace Andrews, Jo Nathan, Chantelle Malloy, Lara Horne, and Stella Andrews.
Image 5 of 5
(From left) Stella and Tess Purdey, Priscilla Ennals, Finn Lindsay-Field (front) and Freya Purdey
Deniliquin artist Jo Nathan guided the students in the completion of the mural.
‘‘The original artwork for the mural was developed by the Deni High School art group to celebrate NAIDOC Week and the theme ‘Heal Country’,’’ Mrs Nathan said.
‘‘We showed it to Yarkuwa and they wanted us to reproduce it for the mural.’’
Due to COVID restrictions, work on the mural was started during the school holidays and continued up until only a few weeks ago.
‘‘I feel incredibly proud of the brilliant work the kids produced,’’ Mrs Nathan said.
‘‘We all learnt so much from each other and Yarkuwa, and as a result feel a new connection to Country and our home Deniliquin.’’
Yarkuwa intends to hold educational workshops and ceremonies at the COLA in the coming months.
The structure is complemented by culturally significant plants, planted earlier this year with the aid of the Deniliquin Local Landcare Group.
Also on the island is educational signage and a catch and release fishing platform, all of which have been made accessible to those with mobility issues.
The community has been working toward the development of the fish park for the last 10 years.
Once a muddy marshland, the fish park has undergone a transformation, and is now fit for purpose as a culturally significant tourist destination, meeting place, and fishing spot.
Its development has been community and volunteer driven.
The name of the park, Werrpanakata, is a Wamba Wamba word meaning ‘a good place to fish’.
