In the old days people used to walk from Ivanhoe Station to Top Dam, following the Ord River. Lily Lagoon was a good camping spot. They had food here: turtle, fish and other bush tucker. The old road from Wyndham to Darwin went past here in the 50s and 60s before Kununurra was built. I grew up here. This was my home. We all camped here and there is a resort there now. We used to walk across the billabong to go to school.
About the Artist
Agnes Armstrong's paintings embrace the stories of her childhood years in delightful often naïve interpretations. She shares her memories of growing up on stations, bushlife and the stories taught by her grandparents. Her images connect story, place and childhood memory. "Born beside a billabong on Ivanhoe Station I grew up with old people. They taught me lots about hunting - all the bush foods. I used to work at Ivanhoe station doing housework and gardening. I came to Kununurra and started schooling during the '60s. Before that I had been at the Research Station School. During the '70s I was at the Beagle Bay Mission School. I came back to Kununurra then and got a job cooking for the pensioners in our Mirima Community. I would do the shopping, counting the money for the pensioners and paid their bills. We had a little shop then. I then moved to Dingo Springs where I watched the old people carving boab nuts and I started doing boabs. After that I came back here to Waringarri Arts to do painting. As well I am doing Ministry and bible studies. I have one daughter and three adopted sons and I live in Mirima, stopping in my country for good."