Lake Poongkaliyarra / Harding Dam is located 25km south of Roebourne on the Harding River, also known as the Ngurin River. When full capacitiy after big rain (yundu) it covers an area of 15 square km and extends 10kms back from the dam wall. Lake Poongkaliyarra has very spiritual cultural heritage sites that were significant to the traditional owners of the ngurra, Yinijbarndi & Ngarluma.
Name: Renee Wally
Language: Yindjibarndi
Biography:
Renee is a Yindjibarndi woman. She was born in Roebourne and has lived here most of her life. She grew up with her grandparents and other family in Roebourne. When Renee's parents passed, her Nanna Dora Soloman become a significant influence in her life. Renee learnt about bush medicine and bush foods from her Nanna and now uses this learning to inspire her paintings of native plants and flowers.
Renee likes to paint her grandmothers Country around the Harding Dam area, especially Bingyimarrida Hill. The Dam has a special significance to the artist as her great-grandfather was buried here. It is also her biological Nanna’s (Dora’s big sister) language name.
Renee started painting quite recently in 2021. She is drawn towards painting landscapes and plants. She begins with a background and then uses a loose spotting technique to blend and bring detail, colour and texture to her work. As an emerging artist, Renee is constantly experimenting with different techniques as she develops her own unique style.
Renee was recently selected to be involved in the REVEALED exhibition in Fremantle and is currently working on a body of work to be exhibited as part of a dual show with her husband Rodney Adams at Chalk Horse Gallery in Sydney.
Milstream waterholes This is the waterholes at milstream and all the murky grasses that you wade through.
Barramundi The Barramundi is fished for at the mouth of the Harding River.
