Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) Genestreaming Journey Sculpture

In partnership with the Bunya Peoples Aboriginal Corporation the Genestreaming Journey Sculptures team is proud to present this sculpture as a contribution to the Bonye Biar Bush University.

The Genestreaming Journey Sculptures team wish to acknowledge Paul Dawson General Manager of the Bunya Peoples Aboriginal corporation, the Bunya Rangers, Jason Lawler site manager/landscaping artist and Darrell Campbell, director of DCC Engineering for their contribution to the project.

Photograph by Steve Parish of Nature Connect

Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) field naturalist artwork created by the Art of Nature team Mali Moir and Ben Beeton

Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) Genestreaming Journey Artwork Contributors

Mali Moir – Scientific Illustration, Research
Ben Beeton – Sculpture design, Concept development, Genestreams Art Composition, Research, Illustration, Phylogenetic Tree Base Plate design
Steve Parish – Wildlife Photography
Gary Muir – Phylogenetic Tree Base Plate research and design
Margarita Menares – Illustration
Sharon O’Phee – Eco Dying
Jenny Wilson – Eco Dying
Natasha Wills – Leaf foliage arrangement & canopy photography
Frank Lee Frivolous – Leaf foliage arrangement & canopy photography
Ben Price – Scientific research and conceptual development
Peter McQueen – Scientific research and conceptual development

Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) Songlines Artworks

Songlines Artwork Contributing Artists

Adrian Bauwens
Jacinda Ibrahim
Niketa Law
Stephanie Lingwoodock
Tolita Dolzan

About the Genestreaming Journey Sculptures initiative: In partnership with traditional owners, local communities and Gondwanalink the initiative is a nationwide project between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, community organizations and conservation groups. The vision of founding elder to the project Aunty Carol Pettersen OAM JP is that the sculptures will form a national tourism trail which will increase an awareness of the importance of ecological restoration, cultural restoration, threatened species, and how, through deep time all species are connected. The concept design was created by Ben Beeton. The sculptures structural design was developed by Mark Hewson of Torbay Glass Studios. Special thank you to Paul Dawson, Jason Lawler, Darrell Campbell and the Bunya Peoples Aboriginal Corporation.

ABC Coverage – Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) Bush University – https://www.facebook.com/ABCSouthernQueensland/videos/6211040408925410

Genestreaming Sculpture within the Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) Bush University, footage provided by Jason Lawler

Overview: “Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) is one of the most significant gathering places in Australia, where lore and culture was developed and maintained by Aboriginal peoples from across Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Since time immemorial Bonye Biar has been under Aboriginal management and leadership. Bonye Biar is therefore as much a cultural landscape as it is a natural landscape. The Bonye Biar Bush University proposal seeks to create an ‘In-Country’ learning place, where Aboriginal knowledge and lore can be revived and appropriately shared with all people who visit the region. The ‘Bush University’ concept has been initiated by Noongar people in WA with the Nowanup Bush University (https://news.curtin.edu.au/mediareleases/innovative-bush-learning-space-reaches-important-milestone/) which has been a huge success. The ‘In-Country’ learning place will be designed and developed in a way that works with the landscape and environment to tell the cultural stories and natural history of the landscape in a creative way that facilitates engagement with community and place. The project will also build upon previous and current investment and value add to the work being undertaken by key partners”. Paul Dawson General Manager Bunya People’s Aboriginal Corporation

Selected Species

Spotted-tail Quoll Dasyurus maculatus maculatus
Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus Gihrungu
Carpet Python Morelia spilota Gabul
Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax Ngai’yil
Regent Honeyeater Anthochaera phrygia
Giant Barred Frog Mixophyes iteratus
Blue Tiger Butterfly Tirumala hamata
Rib-fruited Malletwood Rhodamnia dumicola
Giant Stinging Tree Dendrocnide excelsa Gympie / Gimbi
Lacebark Tree Brachychiton discolor Gurnal / Wiri
Bunya Mountains Bluegrass Bothriochloa bunyensis
Glauca Grass Tree Xanthorrhoea glauca subsp. glauca Dhakka
Bunya Pine Araucaria bidwillii Bonyi
Soft Tree Fern Dicksonia Antarctica
Blotched Butterfly Orchid Sarcochilus weinthalii

Phylogenetic Tree Base Plate

Each ring of the base plate represents a different period of geological time. Each petal of the sculpture represents a different species and connects to either and orange line or green line. The orange lines represent the animals and the green lines represent the plants. The yellow line represents where in deep time the plants and animals share a common ancestor.

Research by Gary Muir of WOW Wilderness Tours

Paul Dawson, Jason Lawler and Darrell Campbell

Objectives
o Unique and iconic Cultural educational tourism development for the Western Downs and Toowoomba regions.
o Learning spaces within the landscape that facilitate this tourism economy.
o Value for money, culturally and environmentally sensitive development.
o Strengthening of partnerships and community collaborations.
o Revitalization of cultural knowledge and practice throughout the region.
o Build on existing projects (ie Fishers Lookout development and BPAC Ranger programs) and value adding to previous and current investment.

Twin Creeks and Mount Magnet Genestreams Sculpture Projects

Frank Lee Frivolous & Sharon O’Phee standing inside the Genestreams Songlines Sculpture, Dancers inside Dakin

Field Naturalist Artwork Details created by the Art of Nature School

Artworks & Details by Aboriginal artists with connections to the Bunya Mountains

Adrian Bauwens

Jacinda Ibrahim

Niketa Law

Stephanie Lingwoodock

Tolita Dolzan

Origins of the Bonye Biar (Bunya Mountains) Bush University Initiative

This project is the vision of the Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation for a “Learn Space” in the Bunya Mountains.

Bunya Mountains site with Paul Dawson General Manager of the Bunya Peoples’ Aboriginal Corporation, Ben Beeton and Jason Lawler discuss the project.

The above design of the snake forms is by Jason Lawler with Genestreams sculpture input by Ben Beeton. Paul Dawson pointed out that at this site there was an intersection between grass land ecology and rainforest ecology therefore two ecological connections sculptures are featured. Here we can see how the Genestreams design can complement sculptural snake designs specific to the location.

Jason Lawler is the owner of Vintage Food Gardens. He has designed and overseen the construction of a range of landscape construction and sculpture projects in the Toowoomba region.
https://www.facebook.com/Vintage-Food-Gardens-436611836449620/