FORM

History

The early 1900’s saw an ambitious attempt to drive cattle from the stations of the Kimberley, through the Western Desert Region, to markets in the south of Western Australia. Alfred Canning was engaged to survey the stock route in 1906 and used Aboriginal guides to locate local waters. He faced a royal commission in 1908 accused of cruelty towards Aboriginal guides. The commission cleared him of all charges, although speculations remain today. 

Between 1908 and 1910 Canning established 52 stock route waters, of which 48 are constructed wells. The Canning Stock Route intersects the countries of multiple Aboriginal language groups and dramatically effected peoples lives.

In 2006, the CSR Project set out to explore the complex history of the Canning Stock Route through the prism of contemporary Aboriginal art. It began planning a range of professional development workshops for artists and remote area creatives, and preparing for a monumental return-to-country trip in mid 2007. 

The initial journey and subsequent trips were facilitated by Aboriginal cultural advisors and documented by Aboriginal filmmakers in collaboration with, and under the mentorship of, a professional film crew. At designated camps along the way, some of Western Australia’s most celebrated Aboriginal artists and emerging talents participated in painting workshops on country. Project team members recorded oral histories and made short films along the length of the route, building up a rich chorus of the many voices that had been missing to date from Australia’s history books. 

The oral history material generated within the project, speaks of resilient and dynamic people and cultures, and provides an opportunity for increased understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. The CSR Project’s commitment to cultural heritage preservation will ensure that this unique body of knowledge is returned to each of the nine community enterprises as an archive and resource by 2011. The National Museum acquired the Cannig Stock Route collection in late 2008 and committed to working with the FORM team and art centres to assist with the building and launch of the exhibition.