ConnectingtoCountry:AVisualTributetoSharedJourneys
News
In 2024, Hutchies commissioned a powerful artwork titled Connecting to Country by Alex Kerr, a proud Wurundjeri man from the Woi-Wurrung language group of the Kulin Nation. The piece was created to celebrate Hutchies’ Statim Yaga Indigenous initiative across Victoria.
The artwork is rich in symbolism and storytelling. White meeting places represent the coming together of Hutchies and Aboriginal communities – united in sky country. Manna Gum leaves, central to smoking ceremonies, speak to healing, unity and connection. The Wurundjeri name itself is derived from the Manna Gum, underscoring its cultural importance.
Waa the crow is shown soaring above the land and its people, offering protection. Yellow meeting places trace the shared journeys of First Nations communities and Hutchies – paths that are never linear but always connected.
Country Victoria is depicted through fields above the Birrarung (Yarra River), which flows through Narrm (Melbourne), linking people and stories. Beneath the river, the land grounds the piece in place and purpose.
Spirit figures at the base of the artwork honour the elders and leaders – both ancestral and present-day—whose wisdom continues to guide Hutchies and the communities we work with.
Artist Alex Kerr visited Hutchies’ Melbourne office to oversee the installation of the artwork in the entry foyer. Team Leaders Dan Casey and Andrew Doyle took the opportunity to meet with Alex and discuss the creative intent behind the piece. The artwork now holds pride of place in the foyer, offering a striking and culturally rich welcome to all who enter.
Connecting to Country is a visual testament to the enduring relationship between Aboriginal Victoria and Hutchies. It reflects our commitment to respect, connection and mutual growth.
