The Southern Cross Yaraan-doo - the place of the white gum-tree Ed. 2 of 50

Back in the beginning, when Baiame, the sky spirit walked the earth, he moulded two men and a woman out of the red earth of the ridges and brought them to life. Before he continued on his way, Baiame showed them all the plants that they could eat to keep life.
For some time they lived on such plants as had been shown by Baiame and then came a drought and the plants grew scarce. One day the 2nd man killed a kangaroo and he and the woman ate some of its flesh but the 1st man would not eat this meat although he was very hungry and weak.
Annoyed at the 2nd man and woman for this, the 1st man walked away angrily towards the sunset. He went over sandhills and ridges until he reached a riverbank near the edge of a coolibah plain. After the 2nd man and woman finished eating they went searching for their mate and found him lying dead on the other side of the river under a huge white gum tree [yaraan]. As he lay there they saw beside him a black figure, Yowi - the spirit of death with his 2 large fiery eyes who lifted their mate up and dropped him in the tree's hollow centre.
Then came a terrific burst of thunder as the tree with fiery eyes gleaming was lifted from the earth heading towards the southern sky. Suddenly a loud screeching noise broke the stillness and 2 yellow crested white cockatoos called Mooyi flew after the spirit tree as this white gum tree was their roosting place on earth. The spirit tree finally planted itself near the Warrambool [Milky Way] that leads to where the sky spirits live.
The 2nd man and woman watched in disbelief as the spirit tree in the sky disappeared from view. They could now only see 4 fiery eyes shining out. Two were the eyes of Yowi - the spirit of death and the other two were the eyes of their mate - the first man to die.
Nature then realized that the passing of this man meant that death had come into the world. Much sadness and wailing were everywhere. The swamp oak trees sighed incessantly and the gum trees shed tears of blood which crystallized into red gum.
To this day the Southern Cross is known as Yaraan-doo the place of the white gum-tree and the pointers are called Mooyi, the white cockatoos. So is the first coming of death remembered by the tribes to whom the Southern Cross is a reminder?

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Artist Statement
I was born in Cunnamulla, a small town in southwestern Queensland, on the edge of Barunggam Country. My yumba—my traditional home—is the land of the Barunggam people, who, for thousands of years, have walked gently on this Country as part of the Wakka Wakka language group. Our connection to the Darling Downs runs deep, shared with neighbouring clans like the Keinjan, Giabal, Jarowair, Bigambal, Kambuwal, and Jagara—each with their own sacred stories, songs, and traditions.

As an Aboriginal artist, my work is more than a visual experience—it is a spiritual practice, a cultural responsibility, and a personal journey. My inspiration comes from the land, from our Dreaming, and from the teachings of my wise grandad. Through him, I learned that painting is not about aesthetics—it’s about storytelling. Every line, every dot, every colour carries emotion, memory, and meaning.

I do not paint to follow trends or fit into boxes. I paint from feeling and truth. My art is a language—spoken through ochre tones, deep blues, and patterns shaped by the rhythm of Country. It is how I honour my ancestors, how I keep our stories alive, and how I share our culture with the world.

Each piece I create is a declaration:
This is who I am. This is where I come from. This is my story.

Through my work, I hope to offer a glimpse into the soul of Barunggam Country, to connect others with the strength, beauty, and resilience of Aboriginal culture. My art is a tribute to the generations who walked before me—and a message to the generations still to come.