Artist : Isabell Moran

Sponsor: Settlement City Shopping Centre

Location: Corner Bay and Park Streets, Port Macquarie

Description / Inspiration

According to the artist, Isabell Moran, “Bindi” means Black Princess – “spirit woman.” The name Bindi also represents a positive “spiritual force” for Isabell and her Biripi and Dunghutti descendants. Isabell says: “Bindi is all around us – she is in the rocks, she is the mountain and the sea”. She is a strong influence on the culture of our people and our land.
Isabell says that the Koala is like a baby to her Aboriginal people. Her ancestors saw the koala as an animal to be nurtured and protected, like a baby. For this reason they never killed the koala for food, unlike other native animals.
“Bindi” Koala is richly patterned with track designs and also depicts the movement of Koala through Biripi country from the mountains to the sea. Other totemic animals are also represented. The work overall features the colourful layered dot technique that Isabell uses.
Isabell says, “Just like a lot of the koala sculptures around the area Bindi is a powerful princess who will lift people’s spirits and she will also be calling a lot of people to come and visit her soon”.

“Bindi” Koala is richly patterned with track designs and also depicts the movement of Koala through Biripi country from the mountains to the sea. Other totemic animals are also represented. The work overall features the colourful layered dot technique that the artist uses in many of her artworks.

Artist Biography

Isabell Moran has been a practising artist for over 30 years. An elder of local Biripi/Dunghutti nations, Isabell founded and ran the Bindi Cultural Centre, Wauchope for many years. She has exhibited her work widely and her artwork has been sold both nationally and internationally. Isabell was one of the concept design artists for the Cowarra Dam Public Art project, a partnership with Port Macquarie Hastings Council Waterwise, North Coast TAFE and Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Council. Isabell has always made a great contribution to the local community, and recently donated a number of artworks to the new palliative care unit at the Wauchope Hospital.

Location Info

Ample parking. Open 7 Days. Port Macquarie's principal shopping centre. Just 5 minutes away from Hello Koalas Gallery and Gift Store at 16/10 Bellbowrie Street, Port Macquarie. Open Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4pm, Friday 9am to 3pm.