Naturally Disturbed A Critical Inquiry into Pastoralist Memory and Environmental History as Realised Through Visual Art Susan Kneebone BSc, BFA (Hons), MFA Exegesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy by Major Studio Project 2010 South Australian School of Art Department of Art, Architecture and Design University of South Australia Principal Supervisor: Associate Professor John Barbour Co-supervisor: Professor Ian North Author’s Declaration I certify that except where due acknowledgement has been made, the work is that of the author alone; the work has not been submitted previously, in whole or in part, to qualify for any other academic award; the content of the thesis is the result of work which has been carried out since the official commencement date of the approved research program; and any editorial work, paid or unpaid, carried out by a third party is acknowledged. Susan Kneebone 1 Acknowledgements This project could not have come to fruition without the support of various individuals and organisations. I am grateful for the assistance provided by the South Australia Museum, in particular the contribution to the exhibition by Dr Philip Jones and the help of David Kerr, David Stemmer and Maya Penck. I would like to give thanks to Mike Turner and members of the South Australia Museum Aboriginal Advisory Group. Thank you to Andrew Starkey and members from the Kokotha Mula Nations Land Council for their interest, consent, and advice with respect to the display of Aboriginal material culture from the Gawler Ranges. I am grateful to Sandy Morris of Yardea Station for sharing his hospitality and historical knowledge of the station. A big thank you to Sandy Elverd, Emma Carter, Gavin Malone, Con Bilney, Lexie Monserrat, ProFessor Kay Lawrence AM, Professor Roger Thomas, Tom Gara, Michael Maeorg, Molly Eatts, John Starkey, Gunther Myer, Dr Gwen Mayo, Alison Hay and Robin Hosking for their help. Also special thanks to Dr Sonia Donnellan, Dr Andrew Dearman, Dr Ruth Fazakerley and all my postgraduate colleagues and friends. Sincere gratitude goes to my supervisors Associate Professor Dr John Barbour and Adjunct ProFessor Ian North for their encouragement, assistance and guidance, and to the University of South Australia for scholarship assistance. Thank you to Mary Knights and Keith Giles of the SASA Gallery for their support with the exhibition. I must also thank my family and forebears whose links to this historical past have made for an interesting and enriching journey. Finally I would like to give special thanks to Barry Patton whose moral support, help with navigating the archives and editing assistance has helped me through this process. 2 Warning to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People This exegesis may contain the names and images of Wirangu, Kokotha, Banggarla, Nauo and Mirning people now deceased. 3 Contents Acknowledgements .....................................................................................................................2 List of Figures................................................................................................................................... 7 Project Abstract ........................................................................................................................9 Chapter 1 Introduction............................................................................................................................ 11 Background .........................................................................................................................12 Aims and Objectives............................................................................................................13 Locus of Research ...............................................................................................................14 Precis of Chapters ...............................................................................................................18 Chapter 2 Methodology .......................................................................................................................... 21 Bricolage and Photomontage .............................................................................................22 Material Recollections ........................................................................................................25 The Responsive Imagination ...............................................................................................26 Project Outcomes ...............................................................................................................28 Chapter 3 Wounded Landscapes and Malignant Memories ..........................................................29 Pioneer Myth ......................................................................................................................31 White Amnesia....................................................................................................................35 The Nature of Culture .........................................................................................................38 The Eco-critical Eye .............................................................................................................42 Chapter 4 Environmental Art................................................................................................................... 45 Memory and Loss Through a Changed Landscape..............................................................48 The Anthropocentric Imagination.......................................................................................55 Environmental Art Projects.................................................................................................58 Cinema and Theatre............................................................................................................62 Strangers in the Landscape.................................................................................................63 4 Chapter 5 Land at the Margins: Yardea Station and the Gawler Ranges................................................... 65 Pastoral Settlement ............................................................................................................66 Disruption and Dispossession .............................................................................................71 Yardea Station and the Gawler Ranges in 2009..................................................................81 Chapter 6 Exhuming the Past - Inland Memories ..................................................................................... 84 Prosthetic memories...........................................................................................................84 Feral Nature ........................................................................................................................88 Conserving Loss...................................................................................................................92 “Dusky Visitors” ..................................................................................................................94 Chapter 7 Field Trips ............................................................................................................................. 100 Field Trip 1 – Scientific Expedition Group .........................................................................100 A Visit to Yardea Station ...................................................................................................105 Wudinna Agricultural Show ..............................................................................................107 Field trip 2 – Pioneer Villages............................................................................................109 On Reflection ....................................................................................................................120 Chapter 8 Creative outcomes ................................................................................................................ 122 Aboriginal Cultures Collection, South Australia Museum .................................................123 Studio Research 2007 to 2009 ..........................................................................................125 Chapter 9 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 152 Bibliography.......................................................................................................................... 155 List of Appendices................................................................................................................. 164 Letters of Approval Department of Premier and Cabinet, Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division South Australia Museum Aboriginal Advisory Group 5 Kokotha Mula Nations Land Council Management Committee University of South Australia Ethics Approval State Library of South Australia Maps “Map of a portion of South Australia north west of Adelaide. Explored by a party under Stephen Hack Esq 1857”. Signed by W.G. Harris, surveyor to expedition. Mortlock Library, S.A. (detail). "Part of South Australia Shewing the Recent Discoveries." Adelaide: Surveyor General's Office, 1859. Mortlock Library, S.A. (detail). 6 List of Figures Figure 1: Location of Yardea Station north of the Gawler Ranges National Park ____________________16 Figure 2: Families and workers at Yardea