The Gathering GardenConcept Central Coolamon Water Feature The Coolamons Art History – Mrs Alice Todd Art History – Alice Springs Art History – Afghan Cameleers Art History – Olive Pink The Artists The Launch Ceremonial Launch Gathering Garden Guests

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that this website contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

The official opening Monday 14th September, 2009, of the ‘Gathering Garden’ on the Civic Centre site in the town centre of Alice Springs was the culmination of a Public Arts project that brought together Indigenous artists from nine communities surrounding Alice Springs, artist Julie Squires, who came up with the concept, Alice Springs Town Council, and the NT government.

The artists who worked and contributed to the ‘Gathering Garden’ include Marie Elena Ellis, Michael Nelson, Roseanne Ellis, Marcia Alice, April Campbell, Emma Daniels, Tina Malbunka, Thomas Rice, June Smith and MK Turner. The artists created paintings for the garden that were reinterpreted into the motif designs and sculptured coolamon forms by artist Julie Squires and her assistant Fred White.

The Gathering Garden, by Arrernte / Walpiri artists and sisters, Marie Elena Ellis and Roseanne Ellis
The Gathering Garden, by Arrernte / Walpiri artists and sisters, Marie Elena Ellis and Roseanne Ellis

This new attraction for Alice Springs is an environmental art installation, inspired by the rich history of the Civic Centre site, which was the location of the cameleers’ meeting area, the town’s first mosque and fire brigade, as well as being the residence of the famous Central Australian anthropologist and horticulturalist, Miss Muriel Olive Pink.

More than just an art installation, it invites the visitor to rest a while and reflect on the original inhabitants, as well as paying homage to past and present inhabitants, that include the Afghan and Indian cameleers, the early European pioneers and settlers, and the Arrernte people on whose land Alice Springs is situated.

ampe anewerne-kenhe - for our children
ampe anewerne-kenhe – for our children
– The Central Coolamon Water Feature, The Gathering Garden, Alice Springs NT

Julie Squires, artist and Project Director, created the concept of ‘The Gathering Garden’, which inspired the painting by Arrernte / Walpiri artists and sisters, Marie Elena Ellis and Roseanne Ellis. The painting was then interpreted by leading authority and local horticulturalist, Geoff Miers, who designed a desert native garden with species of plants, shrubs, trees and locally quarried sandstone, river rubble and granite. The paving in the garden is made from crushed glass as a demonstration on how glass can be recycled in Alice Springs.

Cultural and linguistic ties are present in the garden in the Dari language of the cameleers; botanical words for Olive Pink; and the words ‘come, sit, be’, which represent the indigenous languages of Arrernte, Anmatyerr, Warlpiri, Pitjantjatjara and Luritja.

From the archives © AusEmade Pty Ltd
All artwork © of the respective artists
Source: Alice Spring Town Council

Official Launch of The Gathering Garden (cake) - 14 September 2009
Official Launch of The Gathering Garden (cake) – 14 September 2009

From the archives © AusEmade Pty Ltd
All artwork © of the respective artists
Source: Alice Spring Town Council


The Gathering GardenConcept Central Coolamon Water Feature The Coolamons Art History – Mrs Alice Todd Art History – Alice Springs Art History – Afghan Cameleers Art History – Olive Pink The Artists The Launch Ceremonial Launch Gathering Garden Guests

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