Public Art celebrating poetry and place with installations across the STA region.

Poetry: The Indelible Stencil was conceived of and coordinated by poet Lizz Murphy who worked with 9 other respected local poets to write in response to our environment. Their words feature on permanent sculptures installed in unexpected and uniquely beautiful locations. 

Discover each Indelible Stencil using the map and see how many you can find in the landscape.

It’s the perfect time to experience our local public art and follow The Indelible Stencil trail.

Share your Indelible experience using #IndelibleStencil

Indelible: adjective (Oxford, 2020) 1 (of ink or a pen) making marks that cannot be removed. 2.not able to be forgotten.

The Indelible Stencils

By Robyn Lance (lives in Goulburn)

Autumn rains rouse spores

Drowsing in drought-hardened dirt

Mushrooms Erupt

Located in Picton Botanic Garden

By Mark Tredinnick (Resident of Burradoo)

White months hedge their bets among grass-heads and downdrafts. Blackjays quibble and bitch like mobsters. 

Located in Picton Botanic Garden

Shades of Green by Richard Bell (lives in Bargo)

Vibrant shades of spring green

Shadowy canopy 

Moisture in the air

A beautiful place to be alone

Located in Picton Botanic Garden

Tawny Frogmouth by Lizz Murphy (lives at Binalong) 

Tufty peer eyeleer

Dayshift shapeshift

Shadowmark

Weatherbark

Located in Bungonia Park

Layers of Leaves by Robyn Lance (lives in Goulburn)

Layers of leaves

White-edged with frost

Stitch a living bridal gown

Happy the tree the sun shines on.

Located in Bungonia Park

Gold Droplets by Richard Bell (lives in Bargo)

Droplets cling to a golden web

Captured in the morning glow

The black orb spider

Weaves a place to call home

Located in Bungonia Park

In the Bush by Margaret Berry (lives in Boorowa)

Mid brittle jack & gum

Swishing spectrum

A flitting parrot

Located on Orchard Street Taralga

By Mark Tredinnick (Resident of Burradoo)

Up There, a long time ago,

A thousand sunds burn

In their dark heavens;

They look so gentle, so

Like stars at this distance.

Located on Kiama Creek Crookwell

Rainfall by Russell Erwin (lives at Bannister)

How it varies from one corner

Of a paddock to another

From one liar to another

Located in Barbour Park Gunning 

By Elizabeth Lawson (resides in Queanbeyan)

Place of running waters

the splash at her weir

Fashions her syllables

Quean-bey-an

Located on Queanbeyan River

By Jane Baker ( resident of Yass)

Summer is a bronze sun

Birthed in a brazen sky

To the scream of cockatoos

Located at Queanbeyan Museum

By Jane Baker ( resident of Yass)

The sun splinters

On a thousand ripples

So two black swans can

Sleep on a bed of stars.

Located at Jerrabomberra Pond

On the Highway by Nicola Bowery (lives in Reidsdale)

White moths kamikaze

Into the windscreen

I choose my life over theirs

Located in Captains Flat

Braidwood Morning by Harry Laing (hales from Reidsdale)

Granite eggs crack

Mist dissolves

And the mountains appear

For the first time

Located in Braidwood

By Elizabeth Lawson (resides in Queanbeyan)

Mornings Weereewaa drops

Green carless handkerchiefs 

So sheep may safely graze.

Located at Bungendore School of Arts

By Nicola Bowery (lives in Reidsdale)

How does the cloud

Know its way back

out of the cloudless sky?

Located in front of the Yass Visitors’ Centre

By Russell Erwin (lives at Bannister)

No clocks here

Only work and

It’s two hands

Located in Wee Jasper

Devonian by Lizz Murphy ( lives at Binalong) 

Over the metal style

Down to the flood plains

Selvedges felted green

Conversation adrift

Located near Taemas Bridge Wee Jasper

Dawn by Jane Baker ( resident of Yass)

A small roo. 

With little black hands

Clasped, priestlike,

Over a pot tummy,

Breathes white mist

Into the rosy air

Located in Wee Jasper

By Elizabeth Lawson (lives in Queanbeyan)

At frosted dawn crowds point

from the heritage bridge

‘Two, no three platypuses!’

And the shared joy sings all day. 

Located on the river walk Boorowa

Basking by Harry Laing ( hales from Reidsdale)

Like Lizards

Poems Need Warmth

Located in Dr Kelf Park Boorowa

By Margaret Berry (lives in Boorowa)

On the River Walk

A lone Pine

Stops us in our tracks

Lest we Forget

Located in Dr Kelf Park Boorowa

Poetry: The Indelible Stencil is a partnership between STA, Lizz Murphy and the seven LGAs that now care for the resulting public art works.

The project was made possible with funding from the Regional Arts Fund and the Country Arts Support Program (CASP) with the support of Wollondilly, Wingecarribee, Goulburn Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan, Yass Valley, Hilltops, and Queanbeyan Palerang Councils. 

[email protected]
0405 339 838  
Or by appointment at one of our
Mobile Office locations

PO Box 1323 Goulburn 2580
ABN 67 208 214 681

 

We acknowledge Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the lands where we create, live & work. 

© Southern Tablelands Arts. All Rights Reserved