“Creeks are the mainstay of life in our community. Without them, Aboriginal peoples would not have moved through and camped, farms would not have been established, the railway would not have come, and modern townships would not be sustainable. Their waters are an essential element of life.On our propertyruns Branch Creek, a small creek that flows to the Condamine River, part of the Condamine-Balonne catchment for the Murray-Darling Basin. It has been a guide for people travelling through from the Bunya Mountains; an area of vegetation and animal diversity in its wetlands; a place of lagoons where tall timbers grow; a source of irrigation for crops and domestic animals; and a playground for all. The roots of a majestic gumtree became the ‘Fairy Tree’ for our children after a massive flood eroded its foundations, sending it tumbling across the creek exposing its underside to the elements.”

Helen Dennis is a finalist in the 2019 Queensland Regional Art Awards, and this artwork is touring with the State of Diversity exhibition.