Goanna Ground
Highlights
- Explore the etched goanna in basalt paving, celebrating Aboriginal art and culture in Ballarat.
- Follow the unique pathway of footprints transforming from human to goanna, connecting you to the region's history.
- Admire Aunty Diana Nikkelson's tribute to the Wadawurrung people, enriching your understanding of local heritage.
- Visit the Art Gallery of Ballarat, where the goanna artwork resides, showcasing the dynamic regeneration of Aboriginal culture.
Goanna ground, by Ballarat-based Aunty Diana Nikkelson (Gunditjmara), was inspired by the artist’s totem and is a tribute to the first artists of the region, the Wadawurrung people. It acknowledges Aboriginal survival and the dynamic regeneration of the Aboriginal art and culture in the region. The goanna was etched into the basalt paving at the back of the Gallery in 2006 as part of the cultural festival of the Commonwealth Games.
As you walk down Police Lane, etched footsteps morph from a human footprint to goanna prints. The goanna itself was originally an outdoor artwork, but half of it was brought into the Art Gallery of Ballarat when the former Federation Plaza was enclosed to form the Gallery’s McCain Annexe.
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