Located in Kiewa Street Carpark, Parking Paradise pays tribute to two vital elements of the Albury community – its distinctive Indigenous and multicultural heritages.
Located in Kiewa Street Carpark, Parking Paradise pays tribute to two vital elements of the Albury community – its distinctive Indigenous and multicultural heritages.
The artwork pays homage to and celebrates this unique environment by combining a water element, representing the Murray River, with flora native to the homelands of Albury’s diverse communities such as Vietnamese, Philippine, Laotian, Albanian, Bosnian, Congolese, Nepali, Bhutanese, and Sudanese. The botanical elements – Apricot flowers, Peach blossom, Rose Mallow, Jasmine, Orchids, Fairy Primrose, Yarrow, Anemone Clematis, Himalayan Red Poppy, Troli, Red Amaranth, China Rose, and Jade Vine – joyously intertwine to represent each main migrant community in Albury, fostering a sense of connection and bolstering representation.
The water element flowing throughout the design, symbolising the Murray River, which holds profound cultural and spiritual significance to the native people of Wiradjuri Country. For the Wiradjuri, the river is a vital part of their Dreaming stories, representing the lifeblood of the land. It serves as a source of sustenance, connecting communities and providing resources essential for their physical and cultural well-being symbolising continuity, connection to ancestors, and the enduring link between the Wiradjuri people and their ancestral lands.
Today, the Murray River sustains around 1.5 million households, farms, and businesses along its length. This juxtaposition of a native Australian waterway with foreign botanicals adds a unique dimension to the mural, linking the native land and its custodians to today’s contemporary diverse cultures.
Images: Parking Paradise, 2024, Aurora Campbell. Photographed by Jodie McMaster Apple House Photography
