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”Fires are an important sign of Aboriginal presence. They represent families meeting together, having a feed, keeping warm in the cold. Historic campfire sightings on the fringes of the growing colony of Naarm brings into focus the dispossession of lands from Wurundjeri people and their displacement.

River Red Gums (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) are fuel for campfires. Burning hot and slow, they provide warmth, cooking, a gathering and story-telling place, and the ability to make tools and medicine. Along the Merri Creek, intact 300-year-old remnant River Red Gums create essential habitats for animals.

Wilam Wiinj is a blend of the ancient and the timeless, with the latest architectural and public art technologies. The sculpture consists of a large-scale, polished, stainless steel sculpture approximately three metres in diameter and six metres tall, constructed of numerous reflective flame forms which arc and twist, evoking concepts of a campfire, and at the same time reflecting the surrounding landscape.

Wilam Wiinj highlights the natural abundance of the Red Gum floodplains, and ultimately the resilience and survival of Wurundjeri people.”

- Murrup Biik (Aunty Kim Wandin & Chris Joy)

Located at Merri Creek Conservation Reserve, Kalkallo VIC 3064