An Artists’ Retreat for the Prospector!

The Prospector bay at the historic Kalgoorlie train station has been transformed by a series of artistic panels inspired by local Kalgoorlie school children and prominent regional Indigenous Elders.

The Panels feature a “Journeys’ theme that explores the significance of Aboriginal connection to the land, the Gold Rush, the important role women played in the region’s development, the heritage buildings and contemporary views of Kalgoorlie.

The WA Public Transport Authority and Transwa commissioned Perth artists Arif Satar and Audrey Fernandes-Satar to design 24 panels to brighten up and localise an otherwise standard security compound that houses the Prospector train on overnight stays.

The artists called on local school children from St Joseph’s Primary School and East Kalgoorlie Primary School, along with regional Elders, to provide inspiration and imagination for the designs.

The Panels, stretching 135 metres, were officially launched at Kalgoorlie Train Station today. The 114 year old railway station is the only remaining and continuously operating railway station on the Trans Australia Railway Line in WA.

Its importance to the State was recognised in 1992 when it was included on the State Register of Heritage Places.

 “Different perspectives of the past, present and future are depicted in the panels,” Arif said.

 “We joined the perspectives together to create a continuous landscape ‘line’ over which we  layered  the imagery offered up by the children and Elders.”

 “The storyline was achieved by linking their drawings as a collage, a collective tale, which speaks of their connection to Kalgoorlie and its heritage,” Mr Arif said.

Children from St Joseph’s and East Kalgoorlie Primary Schools attended the launch, along with the Elders, the artists and Transwa Manager Kym Marriott.

The Ngadju Dancers from Norseman performed to celebrate the occasion.