Winner

Yimbaya Maranoa Arts Collective

The Mount Moffatt Residency, 2023 – Time on Country

The Yimbaya Maranoa Arts Collective is an initiative led by First Nations people, aiming to connect communities and share inclusive stories through art. The Collective includes Indigenous and non- Indigenous artists with ties to the Maranoa region. Through various projects and gatherings, the Collective produces artworks and exhibitions that highlight the cultural, spiritual, and environmental significance of the Maranoa River.

The Collective’s activities include immersive gatherings, art residencies, exhibitions, film screenings, and workshops, all aimed at creating resonant echoes on Country and promoting cultural connections.

The Collective’s unique approach lies in its commitment to core values of relatedness, respect, and collaboration on Country. It was formed in 2018 when Indigenous Maranoa residents and artists gathered at a junction where Amby and Womallilla Creek meet the Maranoa. This gathering has continued with Traditional Custodians Vernessa Fien, Vicki Saunders, Saraeva Mitchell, Aunty Lynette Nixon, in conjunction with artist Jude Taggart Roberts, and realised through the group formerly known as the Remapping Mitchell Arts Collective.

The Mount Moffatt Residency, 2023 – Time on Country is part of an ongoing historical accounts of the region. The strength of the residency program lies in the continuing, series of immersive gatherings on Country. Through these residencies, the Collective is producing a living archive of arts-related works, stories, and perspectives currently absent or less visible in contemporary and long-term conversations about truth-telling over time that have allowed trust, respect, and cross- cultural awareness to emerge and be reflected in their creative relationships.

Finalist

Eumundi Museum

Antiquated Anaesthetic Apparatus

Eumundi Museum is a regional museum located at the northern end of the Sunshine Coast, providing engaging exhibitions and experiences for locals and tourists, that shares the history and stories of the region.

The Eumundi Museum is recognised for its temporary exhibition, Antiquated Anaesthetic Apparatus exhibition, which ran from March to September 2023, and showcased a fascinating collection of old anaesthetic machines from a bygone era, offering visitors a unique journey through the history of anaesthesia.

The exhibition, created in collaboration with the Marks-Hirschfeld Museum of Medical History, aimed to provide an inviting introduction to the history of anaesthesia, featuring a carefully curated display of apparatus used to administer ether, chloroform, and early digital machines.

With the support of the Harry Daly Museum of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists in Sydney, NSW, and the Geoffrey Kaye Museum of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists in Melbourne, Victoria, the Eumundi Museum was able to enrich the exhibition with additional information and photographs, making it an educational and visually appealing experience for their visitors.

This project aimed to broaden the Eumundi Museum’s audience and enhance the reputation of their organisation. The exhibition attracted 2,091 visitors over five months, a significant achievement for a small regional museum.