Story

This artwork represents the services that are provided by Sydney Local Health District’s Sydney Education, based at the Rozelle Campus at Callan Park, and what Sydney Education represents.

The large oval at the centre of the artwork is a large meeting place, and represents Sydney Education. The background brick wall pattern is dedicated to the original architecture, with the red brick buildings that make up the building envelopes of Callan Park. The Jacaranda Tree is prominent throughout the grounds of Callan Park, and therefore becomes an integral part of the story of the artwork. Trees also represent growth, their roots travel far and wide, which also represents the spread of Sydney Education’s services. Their students will go on to serve their communities to the highest quality of standards in service of care. The colour purple represents peace and calmness, something that medical professionals are required to have, in order to best serve their community and patients in times of need. The lush green sections of the artwork represent the open green grounds of Callan Park. It also represents the need for clean, inviting spaces, where people can relax and recharge, creating a balance between work and personal life.

From the centre of the artwork, the large meeting place stretches out across the artwork along 13 journey lines. These journey lines are finished in a grey cobblestone-like finish. The cobblestone finish represents a solid foundation of learning, while the numerous cobblestone sections along each journey line represents the more than 200 courses offered by Sydney Education.

At the end of each journey line there are a total of 13 meeting places. Each Meeting place has a significant meaning, all 13 meeting places represent the values and ideas of Sydney Education, they are as follows:  

• Ngalaya – Ally (Connect)
• Connection
• Inclusive
• Mana (Working together)
• Innovation
• Burbangana (Take my hand and help me up)
• Growth
• Warawal – Milky Way (Discover)
• Change
• Bamaradbanga (Open the Door)
• Trustworthy Accredited
• Nangami (Dream/Image)
• Wunyawari – Make believe (Idea)

The “U” shaped symbol (Aboriginal symbol for man/woman) surrounding each meeting place represents the staff on their journey to learning new skills to becoming the best at their chosen fields, in order to provide the best care and services possible for their patients, and community.

The coloured centres of these meeting places were chosen to tie in with the current surroundings of where the original artwork will reside at Sydney Education at Callan Park.

The bottom section of the artwork represents the shoreline of Callan Park, and the grounds on which Sydney Education sits, Wangal land.

The Southern Right Whale is one of the Wangal people’s totems, I have used the Whale to represent the land on which Sydney Education resides. These whales are bordered by a school of fish, this represents the Sydney Education’s school of learning, and the opportunities it brings to the many health professionals who want to grow their skills, needed to provide the highest quality service and care to their patients and community, along with providing opportunities to grow their own careers. The school of fish also surround both whales, and tie them together, this represents the amalgamation of the former Central Sydney Area Health Service and the South Western Sydney Area Health Service into the Sydney South West Area Health Service.

The whole story brought together is to inspire staff to Think. Learn. Grow.

Lee Hampton

Artist