Ballina Public Art – Yawaybanyaragan: Celebrating a Good Feast

Welcoming travellers as they arrive in Ballina, Yawaybanyaragan – Celebrating a Good Feast is a stunning vinyl window installation that tells the story of pippies and saltwater, reflecting the rich Nyangbul cultural heritage of the lower Richmond River.

The artwork highlights the physical and spiritual significance of the river to the Nyangbul people of the Bundjalung Nation, acknowledging middens across the area and the river’s role as a vital food source. The design incorporates imagery of fish, pippies, woven objects, and flowing waterways — symbols of gathering, sharing, and connection to Country.

Through its layered visual storytelling, Yawaybanyaragan honours the enduring traditions of community, culture, and the deep relationship between people and place.

Daniel Roberts is a young Aboriginal artist who works with native Australian timbers to craft traditional artefacts such as boomerangs, spears, and shields, each rich with cultural meaning.

Tania Marlowe, a Bundjalung artist and co-founder of Jugan Dandii, practices the traditional art of weaving, connecting people with local fibres and ancestral knowledge through workshops and cultural storytelling.

Marcus Ferguson, a Nyangbul Goorie from Ballina and Cabbage Tree Island, often features the birds and animals of the lower Richmond River in his works, preserving and celebrating cultural identity through art.

Together, their collaboration creates a powerful cultural welcome — a reminder that art, story, and Country are always connected.