Friends of Darlington Station Reserve (FODS)

The Race is On!

I am referring to the race between the weeds and our existing plants and volunteer self sewn natives; I have certainly noticed the weeds making a start in my garden. Also very noticeable is the flowering of the WEEDY WATTLE, Acacia Iteaphila (identify it now as no local species are in flower) and it has seeded further and further since last year; I see it colonising verges all over Darlington and choking out our local native plants. I encourage you all to pull all new seedlings up and remove the mature plants where you can. Local wildflower nurseries can help you with local alternatives. I was able to photograph a couple of local heroes today:

We FODS have started our working season on the reserve with much raking of leaves, collecting of debris and removal of a few dead plants. The reserve looks so much better for all the hard work. Next working Sunday is 30th April and all are welcome. Any queries, please contact Jane on 0477 987 048.

Darlington Community Garden (DCG)

Did you know Pike Place Market in Seattle, Washington is well-known for the talented fish throwers of piled high stacks of fresh-caught king salmon and halibut and their accompanying loud hollering ... it’s so unique and worldfamous YET for Shelton checking out and showing His Tile to whoever is visiting far outstrips this and all else...

You see over 40 years ago in the 1980’s the Market floor needed fixing, and thousands of people paid to put their name or message on a tile and Shelton and his son’s name are on one. And having a second home in Seattle has meant we have spent long periods of time there and Pike Place Market is a favourite for us... and one of the important things to do when we visit is to check out the Market Tiles. I love how he most excitedly does this.

For me the Darlington Garden Mosaic Tile project is a lot like this. It is creating a piece of Darlington history and art for all to enjoy for many, many years far into the future. A place to come and visit and remember just like Shelton does with his tile. Imagine the squeals of delight as your kids or grandkids or future generations come searching for and find your special tiles(s).

Have you and/or your kids made your tile yet?

There is still time on Saturdays from 9am led by SALLY HERZFELD. Come hail or shine. Be one of the 500!

Treetops Montessori and children from the Hills After-School Care Association.

And Sally has held weekly workshops on Saturday mornings at the Garden over summer 2022/23 for creating the rest of the mosaic slabs.

The mosaics will be laid in a decorative border around the main Arbour. Mosaic inlaid lettering spelling Darlington Community Garden in the central entrance to the Arbour will welcome and invite people in.

Supplies for the mosaics like old kitchen and bathroom tiles have been donated by the community from people's homes and sheds. Midland Brick donated 500 concrete pavers for the base for the mosaics and most recently we are very grateful for a Matching Grant for $2000 from the Shire of Mundaring. Yet we need lots more funds for laying the tiles and paving brick border. Quotes are well over $10,000 for labour and supplies.

The mosaic tile and brick border for the Arbour is part of the larger community garden plan which was created in consultation with the community by our Garden Design Leader, Kylie Brinfield. Darlington’s wonderful Sally, recognising that creating the mosaics would bring people together, foster ownership, connection and belonging in the community while offering the opportunity to learn new skills, put her hand up and has doggedly and brilliantly led the project.

The mosaic pavers have been created by at least 350 people of the Darlington and Shire community, including children working on them since April 2022 in three local primary schools - Helena College; Junior and Senior, Darlington Primary School,

We need Donations and/ or Discounts from Brickies and paving tradespeople to install the pavers and for bricks and materials. Submit your Offer/Quote now.

Also, the idea is community volunteers and garden members will help the paving contractor where safe to do so.

Back in October 2021 Review I talked about how “solid and deep foundations create a strong and lasting base on which to grow” and how it was an important theme for our Garden and the mosaic tile project is yet another example of this.

As well as beautifying the garden, providing a sense of ownership by all who contribute a paver the Arbour mosaics project is creating a piece of Darlington history.

And WooHoo! Fruit and nut tree planting has begun! More on this next month.

Hope to connect in the Garden, Cheers Susie

Journey Through A Landscape

Australian State and National galleries. He held over 45 solo shows and contributed to many more. He authored over 20 books, publishing many of these himself.

Richard, with his wife Lyn, lived in Darlington for many years, bringing up their three girls and forging strong relationships with his local contemporaries, including Bob Juniper, Brian McKay, David Gregson, Philippa and Collin O’Brien, John Beaton, Nigel Hewitt, Ben Joel, and fellow Dutchman, Hans Arkeveld. His relationship with Mundaring Arts Centre (MAC) started during this time, not only as an artist but also personally. His family have been intimately involved with MAC Inc.’s evolution through the generosity of their time, his skills as a photographer, their creative skills and reputation. Lyn was always involved with MAC Inc.’s WOWA (Worn Out Wearable Art) program which had the best photographs for many years - his ever-alert eye guiding a camera that was never far from his hands.

Community was important to Richard, serving as Patron of the Darlington Arts Festival on more than one occasion, as Patron of the Mundaring Bicentennial Scholarship Trust since 2013, and as a Patron and Life Member of MAC Inc. for many years.

Born in the Netherlands, Richard Woldendorp showed an interest in painting and drawing from an early age, studying commercial art and design whilst developing his hand at landscape painting. After spending three years in Indonesia on a posting with the Dutch army, he decided to emigrate to the warmer climes of Australia, arriving in WA in January 1951. Starting work as a painting contractor he began to see a lot of WA.

In 1955, Richard planned a holiday back to Holland and bought a folding Voightländer 6x9 camera, beginning his long association with photography. He became fascinated with the camera as a creative tool and consequently joined several camera clubs to improve and broaden his range of skills. By 1961 he won his first two accolades in the Craven-A National Photographic competition and embarked on establishing himself as a professional photographer. Intrigued by the unusualness of the Australian landscape, he became a landscape photographer with a strong bias for aerial photography, which he felt captured the vastness of the outback best.

Richard’s aspirations included, equally, the personal development of his work and the maintenance of a successful photography business, ‘Photo Index’, WA’s first photo library. In 1991 he was made a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography, in 1998 an Honorary Life Member and in 2002 he was admitted into the ACMP Hall of Fame. In 2004 he was honoured as a State Living Treasure for his outstanding contribution to the visual arts, his skill, talent and intensity as a photographer and his original and awe-inspiring vision of the Australian landscape. In 2005, LotteryWest named him “Inspirational West Australian”, and in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday Honours, he was appointed the Order of Australia “For service to the arts as an Australian landscape photographer.”

Richard’s work has been exhibited widely in Australia, USA and Europe with his photography held in the collections of most

In 2018, MAC was privileged to present Woldendorp: A Black and White Retrospective, an exhibition of Richard’s early black and white photographs taken by him and printed by him. Although best known for his aerial landscape photography, the black and white images surveyed not only captured candid moments of historic relevance and the phenomena of the physical world, they cemented Richard’s place as one of this country’s great story tellers.

Richard’s passing will leave a huge hole in the fabric of the local community. To encompass the words of Gary Dufour, “… (Richard’s) images, like those of all great artists, give you the extra visual tools with which to make your everyday experiences in the world just that little bit richer.” Knowing Richard made all our lives just that little bit richer. Rest in peace our dear friend.

Written by Mundaring Arts Centre