Artists statement

Always wanting to paint the bushfire. Seen heaps of things with burning of heath land for Alcoa and went running through it like we were in the fire. It was beautiful but we were crying as we didn’t want them to do it. We were right in the middle of it as it was all glowing everywhere. Always fascinated by that fire when I think about it as we tried to stop it but they bought the police out and we couldn’t get in there as they had security and we were surrounded. We camped out there for four years we had the camp and would come and go from the house in town. Zac Martin and heaps of people in and out and good times with Uncle Banjo and newspaper journalists. 30 years ago this was, late 70’s and took 6 years to get them to court. Flew a guy out from America (the equaliser) who interviewed us about why we were doing it.
They burnt right along the cliff whilst we were camped there and we had seen the seasons and got into the spirit of the land with native blossom and it was beautiful – and they burnt it all, all the little animals, it was incredible as the heathland was absolutely beautiful, it was magic and they could not see that. They pegged it out to do it all and we would sneak out and move the pegs and we tried to fight them every which way. Amy was there with all her kids in a massive striped tent but she moved them out when the police came to move us out. They had us surrounded, police from everywhere. We had no water and people would bring us water and food.
Another time a big bushfire came through and we had to get in the dam at Lake Condah Mission. I was aged around 10 or 11.”
June 2014
As recorded by Anna Louise Sheba for the entry in the Victorian Indigenous Arts Award Ballarat.

Ms. Christina Isabel Saunders
Traditional Landowner Elder
Gundij Mara Tribe (South Western Victoria, Australia)
Descendant of Kilcarer – Cape Bridgewater Clan and Gilgar - Lake Condah Mission Clan

Physical description

A depiction of bushfire. Red, yellow, orange and black paint. Swirls and shapes to represent the flames.

Inscriptions & markings

Tina Saunders (bottom right in orange paint)