Marble Bar is a town and a rock formation in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The town’s name was derived from the jasper rock at the bed of the Coongan River, which run’s adjacent to the town. Jasper is similar to marble in its appearance.
Marble Bar is the closest town to Warralong Aboriginal community, where Mary lives with her family.
Name: Mary Rowlands
Language: Manyjilyjarra
Community: Warralong
Biography:
“I like to paint bush foods and flowers but I just started painting my grandfather’s Country, I only saw that place when I was grown up. My mother grew up in Jigalong. I’ve been living there for many years in Warralong. I’ve got my family in Newman, stopping near Jigalong and moved this side. I had six kids. I was born in a station on Nyabali Country and my mother been take me from that station to Port Hedland.”
- Mary Rowlands
Mary was born on Hillside Station near Marble Bar, and spent some of her early life in Port Hedland. After Mary lost her mother she travelled with her brothers, sisters and cousins to Nullagine, and then on to Warralong Community where she currently resides with her family.
