BUSHkids Annual Report 21 | 22

23

Supporting Community Growth by Casey Coolwell-Fisher

CEO Carlton

We all live and learn differently.

Just before you turn the page to view the amazing centrespread artwork in this year’s report, I would like to introduce the artist and provide a snapshot of the context behind BUSHkids’ commissioning and acquisition of this incredibly special work. My passion for rugby league is well-known although, as BUSHkids CEO, my public support has to be even-handed for both the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos – but the latter team is geographically much closer to home for me, and a chance to personally be a supporter at Red Hill and Lang Park. So it was, during the Indigenous Round of fixtures in May 2022 (and while suitably attired!) that a series of chance encounters and conversations led me to discover Casey Coolwell-Fisher and her work – including the Broncos’ own Indigenous jerseys! Very quickly, we realised we had a unique opportunity to explore and tell, for perhaps the first time, the core components of the BUSHkids vision, mission and values in rich, traditional Indigenous Story. The stunning piece which Casey created for BUSHkids is breathtaking to view and elaborately layered with deep meaning and heartfelt compassion and insight. Here, I am delighted to introduce her creative rationale for her work and you can discover more on page 26, following the centrespread. This is one small but vivid step on BUSHkids’ own journey towards Reconciliation and deeper engagement with First Nations peoples, and I feel very privileged to be able to share Casey’s work with you in the pages of this year’s Annual Report.

Support from our communities helps us grow, develop and learn as a whole. This artwork represents different communities, the support and the looking over of our children and growth. The “Yarning Circle of Growth” is the centrepiece and a representation of BUSHkids. It encapsulates BUSHkids’ values; Child-focused and Family-centred, Collaborative and Accountable. The two hands and dots in the centre represent our children’s everlasting print on this Earth. Our children are symbolised, in the sitting positions, of the inner yarning circle around the hands and the leaf sprouts represent the beginning of their growth. The people sitting outside the children are our caregivers and providers. They are surrounded by the small white dots to signify the sharing of knowledge and special collaborative ingredients in helping us all grow. The outer ‘u’ shapes symbolise our leaders, our Ancestors, looking over our journeys and overseeing the foundations they have implemented. Outside the “Yarning Circle of Growth” is the representation of our community links, their services and our totems. Our community links are represented in the circle and linking lines, with their services of health, development, education, social and emotional services in the five curved lines – nothing is a straight line. Our totems can be either animal or plant form. These are showcased in the side panels of the wing/scale and leaf patterns. The background consists of different communities. Every community has different line work to represent their Songlines with water surrounding and bringing them together as one.

@chaboodesigns | chaboo.com.au