Rowena Welsh Jarrett, Dakota Dixon, & Alison Page

Rowena Welsh-Jarrett, Dakota Dixon, and Alison Page are three prominent Aboriginal artists whose work beautifully intertwines culture and contemporary craft. Welsh-Jarrett, a Dharawal and Gumbaynggirr woman, focuses on integrating Aboriginal knowledge into built environment projects, while Dakota Dixon, a Dharawal–Dunghutti–Yuin woman, merges cultural traditions with contemporary styles to tell stories of Country, identity, and connection. Alison Page, a descendant of the Dharawal and Yuin peoples, is a key figure in the contemporary Aboriginal cultural movement, enhancing the Australian design scene through innovation that incorporates Aboriginal narratives.

Return of the Gadi Reed welcomes people at the entrances to Gadigal Station. The monumental sculptural artwork references necklaces traditionally made from native reeds. Through Rowena’s cultural revitalisation work, this piece contributes to the understanding of Gadigal culture and the reed that was prevalent across Coastal Sydney, including the Gadigal clan estate.

The artwork reimagines these cultural adornments symbolising Gadigal cultural resilience and ecological connection to this place. Four sculptural necklaces are fabricated from painted cast aluminium. The accompanying circular bronze plaques include a formal acknowledgment of Country and details of the significance of the Gadi Necklaces. The plaques also include a Gadi reed necklace which invites curious observers to touch.