Tuesday, 28 February 2023

New viewing deck installed at Lake Jualbup

Timber decking at Lake Jualbup in Shenton Park has been given a makeover; the result being a brand-new viewing deck, complete with composite decking and laser-cut screens which feature images of a variety of fauna found in and around the lake.

Reflecting upon the area’s historical Noongar connections, the deck screens depict ‘maarle’, the black swan, ‘gorya’, the frog, and ‘boorda yaarkiny’, the turtle.

An original piece of artwork which featured these three animals was erected by Shane Pickett at Lake Jualbup in 1996. A description of each animal was written on the side of the artwork, and has been adapted for the new viewing deck’s signage:

Maarle
The black swan is regarded as boordia of fresh water fowls.
It is the guardian over many water holes and rivers.
Part of the Swan River is the dreaming place of Maarle.
Herdsman Lake is the place for nesting
Mongers Lake is the place for courtship.


Gorya
The frog is a sign of life water.
Water holes that frogs inhabited could be found near such water holes.
Many camping ground could be found near such water holes.

Boorda Yaarkiny
The fresh water turtle was consumed for the medicine it contained.
The medicine was used as a preventative rather than a cure.


In the spirit of reconciliation, the City of Subiaco acknowledges this place as being a traditional waterhole which was once used by the Aboriginal people of the area and formed part of a water catchment trail which was used for millennia.
extraMile by Dapth