Our Story, Our Voices – the illustrated story of Merredin

An artistic projection on a heritage building in Merredin depicting explorer Charles Hunt on horseback with a detailed map of his expeditions from coastal WA to the interior forming the background.
Who

Shire of Merredin, WA

Where

Gateway Festival, Merredin

When

24-26 September 2021

What

Architectural Storytelling

A colourful architectural projection showcasing Merredin through our eyes – celebrating Merredin’s unique heritage, local community and honouring the contribution of troops and nurses during the War years. The projected stories were narrated by community members, drawing from Merredin’s history and inspired by the accounts of soldiers, nurses and railway workers across the years.  The narratives are interwoven with unique hidden treasures revealed by the traditional custodians and the local community, to form Merredin’s own unique storytelling projections.

After completing the festival event, illuminart created this digital legacy movie for the Merredin community to use for education and storysharing.

I'm on a high! Really speechless! It's like I actually met my Granny! I'm so proud of her. Thank you.

Jenny Van Der Merwe - descendant of Caroline Bates
  • Thematic imagery from the war years on the heritage listed LJMiddleton building for Merredin Festival in 2021
  • Nostalgic community memories of farmlife and swaggies from early settlement are projected onto the LJMiddleton heritage building for Merredin Festival in 2021
  • Remembering WW1 projected onto a heritage building for Merredin Festival in 2021
  • Troops on trains coming to build Merredin's WW2 Army Hospital projected onto local heritage building for Merredin Festival in 2021
  • Early settlers to Merredin making plans by their shanties
  • Labourers working hard to lay the CY O'Connor pipeline in a historical narrative for Merredin Festival 2021.
  • Trains came to Merredin in a projection that incorporates old steam train photographs and composited background landscapes by local Merredin artists.
  • Beautiful local artwork is a perfect conclusion to the community narrative.
  • WW1 troops outside the Duff Hotel in Merredin in a scene made possible from several images using detailed compositing techniques
  • Hidden gnamma holes around rocky outcrops were a blessing for the people of this land since ancient times.
  • Merredin's first gaol was a log and chain by the local peak, composited from rare historical writings and a local artist's work providing elements of the background.
  • Merredin Festival branding adorns the beautiful heritage structure of the TJ Middleton building.
  • A throng of Merredin community fascinated for the show to begin with starry skies and an unfolding scripted narrative comprised of local community voices
  • Gnamma holes and terrain with standing local onlookers at Merredin Festival
  • Explorer Charles Hunt on horseback before a detailed map of his expeditions from coastal WA to the interior, one of the early scenes in this longer local community narrative celebrating Merredin..
  • The audience listens to the story of how gnamma holes were often consolidated into dams by Charles Hunt's team and those that followed.
  • WW1 memorial Merredin Festival 2021
  • Sport around Merredin has always been a main feature of social life and some animation is given to elements of the historical photographs, with the addition of the beautiful locally painted landscape for a vibrant background..
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Project Blog