On Saturday 21 February 2015, SCA’s Space, Place and Country research cluster ran the first of a series of events scheduled for the year. An invited group of 23 people met outside Redfern Terrace to be led on a cultural walk by Nathan Moran, CEO of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council. Among the group were artists, writers, architects, musicians, historians, producers, and educators, some with their own long history of involvement with Redfern. Rain began to fall as Nathan’s route led past landmarks including Tony Mundine’s gym, the tent embassy on the block, the now empty Murawina childcare centre, and along the iconic railway bridge mural, 40 000 years, designed by Carol Ruff in 1983. Nathan’s encyclopedic knowledge of the cultural institutions, politics and community of Redfern unveiled dense histories as everyone stood undeterred by rain, listening under umbrellas. The walk took in numerous other key sites: the Gadigal Information Service, home of Koori Radio; the Aboriginal Dance Theatre; the old Black Theatre site; and the site of the original NSW Aboriginal Land Council, as well as more murals including Mission Boy Dreams designed by Roy Kennedy, and Cherry Pickers by Adam Hill. By the end of the walk the skies had cleared, and lunch was held at 107 Projects, followed by discussion among the participants.
Down City Streets 