Songlines at Curtin University’s Stadium Precinct is an integrated public artwork by artists Jahne Rees and Noongar artist Sharyn Egan, with original songs by Boomerang and Spear (Kylie and Clint Bracknell). Apparatus was engaged by Curtin University as Art Consultant, supporting the project through artist engagement, design development, coordination and delivery.
The project responds to the cultural significance of the site as the intersection of two Noongar songlines — Kujal Kela (Twin Dolphin) and Djiridji (Zamia). The artwork contributes to Curtin’s Living Knowledge Stream, embedding Noongar language, knowledge and stories within the campus landscape.
Integrated into the floor of the Stadium Precinct Dome, the artwork comprises polished coloured concrete inserts featuring abstracted designs by Sharyn Egan that reference local flora and fauna, particularly Djiridji and Balga, alongside plants and animals associated with water and local stories. The inserts are inscribed with Noongar language lyrics from two original songs composed by Boomerang and Spear, each responding to one of the songlines.
The structure of the songs informs the spatial arrangement of the work. The inserts form continuous circular pathways through the Dome, inviting visitors to move clockwise through the space while reading and listening to the repeated lyrics. In this way, movement, language and sound become interconnected parts of the artwork experience.
An immersive audio layer accompanies the physical work, bringing the two songs together with ambient soundscapes developed by Signals Sound Lab (Will Axten and Gaëtan L’Éclair) from field recordings of local waterways and environments. The combination of voice, environmental sound and physical movement creates a multi-sensory connection between the artwork and Country.
At the centre of the Dome, the two songlines converge in a floor element referencing the traditional practice of processing Zamia seeds in pits lined with Balga leaves. Beyond the Dome, fine etched lines continue through the surrounding ground plane, extending the songlines into the landscape and reinforcing their enduring presence across the campus. Songlines is now part of the Curtin University Art Collection.
Through close collaboration between Curtin University, the artists, cultural advisors, design team and project partners, Songlines creates a place for gathering, listening and exchange while recognising the continuing presence of Noongar culture, language and knowledge within the landscape.
