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Murdoch University Chancellor Gail McGowan PSM reflects on "Waychinicup" by Jill Kempson
Jill Kempson. Waychinicup - Place of Emu Dreamine. 2005, oil on board, 68.5cm x 90cm. Purchased 2006. Murdoch University Art Collection.
Some of my earliest memories are of days spent clambering over granite rocks along the rugged southern coast of Western Australia, filling in time as my father patiently cast his fishing line out to sea.
The tiny crabs would scurry between and beneath the rocks, exhibiting both a vulnerability to the elements and determined resilience. Those who succumbed would move gently with the water as the rock pools filled then emptied as the waves crashed further out to sea, while their fellow rock crabs played a game of catch me if you can with the waves while keeping out of sight of predatory birds.
My mother led us on endless hunts for the elusive Noisy Scrub Bird and helped expand our understanding of the rich native flora. She took pride in being able to identify so many of those plants that help make the region one of the most significant biodiversity hotspots on earth.
At night, my siblings and me lay beneath the brown canvas tent canopy, trying to resist the temptation to run our fingers along the canvas. Despite dad warning us of the perils of leaky tents it did little to stop us experimenting.
Decades later I reflect on Jill Kempson’s incredible painting of Waychinicup - Place of Emu Dreaming which depicts a picturesque inlet in Waychinicup National Park on Western Australia’s southern coast. The park’s name is made up of two Nyoongar Aboriginal words. ‘Waitch’, means emu and ‘up’ which means place of.
When I view this painting, memories come flooding back yet very different emotions are evoked. My own childhood, safe and secure in a world where freedom and opportunity were taken for granted and the rugged beauty and harshness the backdrop for fun-filled family camping trips.
On those visits to the coast, we rarely saw any descendants of our First Nations people. Yet in looking at the image today, with its fading light and almost sombre tone, I can picture our early hunters and gatherers and even an emu or two. I think of the determination and resilience required simply to survive and the sense of vulnerability that must have been felt as the cold wind and waves lashed the coast, not even a leaky canvas tent to provide protection.
Against that backdrop I reflect on our determination at Murdoch University to provide opportunity and pathways as the University of choice for our First Nations people, to promote equity and diversity and to celebrate and protect our unique environment.
As Murdoch’s first female Chancellor I am part of that celebration of diversity, and I acknowledge at marvel at the opportunity Murdoch has given me. Yet my childhood memories only date back to the time the Beatles were bursting onto the scene and only a decade or so before Murdoch opened its doors to its first students. Much has changed in those decades but much more remains to be done.
Jill Kempson speaks of a landscape shaped by time and the elements and its first inhabitants. As the sun goes down on those rugged granite rocks and we plan the next part of Murdoch University’s journey, let us keep shaping the Murdoch landscape to really enable education and learning for all.
About Gail McGowan PSM
Bachelor of Arts, Murdoch University, 1991
Post Graduate Diploma in Public Policy, Murdoch University, 1993
Gail was appointed as Murdoch’s first female Chancellor in 2023 following a distinguished public sector career spanning more than thirty years. Gail’s involvement with Murdoch University dates back to 1987 when, as a young mother living in regional Western Australia, she enrolled in her undergraduate degree by correspondence more than a decade after finishing high school. She credits Murdoch University with offering educational opportunities that served as the springboard to her career.
In 2019 Gail was awarded a Public Service Medal for her contribution to industry development and land use planning in Western Australia along with a Distinguished Alumni award from Murdoch University. In 2021 she was named Western Australia Public Sector Leader of the Year by the Institute of Public Administration of Australia (WA). Gail is a Member of Chief Executive Women of Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration of Australia.
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Murdoch University Chancellor Gail McGowan PSM reflects on "Waychinicup" by Jill Kempson
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