Traditional indigenous paintings on display in GovHub building

Castlerock has always made it a priority to build strong relationships with local communities and respect the traditional owners in any regional city where we develop or acquire a property.

When the award-winning GovHub building in Morwell in Victoria’s Latrobe Valley was being built in 2019-20, we seized the opportunity to partner with the Gunairkurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation (GLaWAC). 

GLaWAC, which represents the traditional owners from the Brataualung, Brayakaulung, Brabralung, Krauatungalung and Tutungalung family clans, has a membership of more than 600 traditional owners, with ancestral links registered in the Native Title Consent Determination.

In partnership with GLaWAC, local Koorie artists completed e five canvas paintings centred on a “Gunai Kurnai dreaming story”.
 

These five canvas paintings are now displayed on the ground floor outside the meeting rooms in the GovHub building for visitors to enjoy. 

The partnership is set to be extended with Gippsland TAFE, offering students undertaking the Koorie Unit the opportunity to have their artworks displayed in the GovHub on a rotational basis. 

Working with GLaWAC and giving indigenous students the chance to connect with their heritage via their artwork is an important initiative for Castlerock. It will provide future students with the ongoing opportunity to proudly display their artwork in the community. 

The canvas paintings by local Koorie artists, in partnership with GLaWAC, has become an integral part of the GovHub building – it also received awards for its design and construction work – where people can come and learn about the region’s Indigenous heritage.

Alongside the five paintings on the outside of the meeting rooms, in collaboration with The Torch, the building also features five meeting room tables that underwent a traditional “burning” of the Koorie design.