SOUTHEAST VOICE GREENING OUR CITY Artworks shine a light on local Aboriginal history and tradition

A continuing cultural fishing custom practiced by Aboriginal people in Kamay (Botany Bay) for thousands of years is being celebrated on the walls of a new Randwick Council community sports centre and home for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Maroubra set to open

Shimm er is the work of Aboriginal artists Carmen Glynn-Braun and Dennis Golding featuring painted motifs, decals and sculptured bronze.

Alth ough differing in medium, the artworks carry the joint title Shimmer and depict local wildlife such as stingrays, barrow hawks and the annual winter mullet run that sustained Aboriginal people for generations.

“We titl ed all the works Shimmer because they're all interconnected in how they reflect light, like the sun off the water,” Carmen said.

The placem ent of the golden artworks on the exterior of the building was also intentional. As Carmen explained, “then the sun interacts with it twice a day, as it would on top of the water with the mullet flowing through the water below.”

Like shimmering trea sures to be discovered, the golden-hued artworks wrap around the building’s exterior and float through to the interior, ready to catch the light of the sun and the eye of visitors.

“Througho ut th e artworks we've looked at the coastline to be a very important part of storytelling. You know, really looking at the country from a top view of where Aboriginal people have travelled across these different areas of the coastline,” shared Dennis.

Local knowl edge h older Uncle Steve Russell also played an integral role in the creation of Shimmer. As an important part of their artistic practice, when creating new pieces, Carmen and Dennis explained the pair always make efforts to consult with local elders from the place where their artwork will be installed or exhibited.

Randwick Mayo r Dylan Parker said the artworks help connect a new building to Country and provides an intergenerational story-telling legacy.

“This artwork recognises and pays respects to the traditional owners of this land and will give every visitor the opportunity to engage with our area’s unique and vibrant Aboriginal culture,” Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said.

“The Heffron Centre is set to be a space for the whole community. Sport has always united communities – particularly in Randwick City – bringing together people of all ages and skill level.

“We are qu ite fortu nate to be able to deliver for our community a high-quality community sports and gymnastics centre within the same building as the new home for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

“This new home for sport provides countless opportunities to work cooperatively to deliver a range of cultural and social benefits for our community through sport.”

The Hef fro n Centre is a Randwick City Council facility featuring a community indoor sports centre, dedicated gymnastics centre and South Sydney Rabbitohs community and highperformance centre.

The proj ect is a shared vision between Randwick Council, its key project partner the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club (Rabbitohs), the NSW State Government (through the Office of Sport) and the Australian Government.

Trees go a long way in making our suburbs beautiful places to live, work and play. But did you know they also have the ability to reduce illness? A new street tree planting program in Randwick City aims to do just that.

When you think of Randwick City, your mind might turn to Centennial Parklands, wellvegetated coastal walks and established, tree-lined streets.

You might then be surprised to learn Randwick City has one of the lowest canopy cover of any metro Sydney council area, sitting at just 18%. This means that we’re particularly vulnerable to high heat, which can have significant consequences for our health.

Research from Wollongong University has shown that a lack of green space was associated with mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety.

On the flipside, the research also found that exposure to tree canopy of 30% or more was associated with improved general health, while increasing canopy cover by just one per cent reduced the prevalence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

Within the next 25 years, Randwick City will have an additional 19 football fields worth of canopy coverage across the area, thanks to a new street tree planting initiative.

Randwick City Council successfully applied for $1.88 million in funding through the NSW Government’s 2022 Greening our City grant program to plant at least 2,000 trees by

August 2024. It is the largest grant that has been awarded through the program and is being supplemented by $400,000 from Council.

The project aims to establish large container-sized trees in vulnerable communities that have the lowest canopy cover and the highest heat.

The Greening our City program contributes to the NSW Government’s commitment to plant five million trees across Greater Sydney by 2030 and to achieve the Greater Sydney Region Plan’s 40% canopy cover target by 2036.

“Trees are an incredible asset to our community and provide a range of environmental, cultural, psychological and financial benefits, which in turn creates a happier and healthier community."

Dylan Parker, Mayor of Ra ndwick, said the City is working towards its own ambitious goals to ensure residents reap the benefits of an established urban forest.

“This initiative aligns with Randwick City’s Environment Strategy 2020; specifically, our objectives to increase native plantings by 30% by 2030 and achieve the Greater Sydney Commission’s target of 40% tree canopy cover across Council managed land by 2040,” said Mayor Parker.

“Trees are an incredible asset to our community and provide a range of environmental, cultural, psychological and financial benefits, which in turn creates a happier and healthier community.”