Today we went north to Gunnedah where the cotton plants are bigger than Ben Hur. I kid you not. Check this out!!!!!!
I took this snap on our detour visit to Carroll Cotton Company Gin – Isn’t this the prettiest Xmas tree you have ever seen. Not only the that the streets are lined with cotton
Gunnedah High School has been sponsored by the Upper Naomi Cotton Growers Association and the Carroll Cotton Company owned by Scott Davies. I was so excited to be in cotton country and invited myself to visit Scott’s cotton gin. He was very gracious and Wendy and I were like kids in a candy shop watching the cotton ginning process in action. More on that later
Gunnedah High School
Due to the strong aboriginal influences in both the school community and the wider local community, Gunnedah High School decided to call their Archibull entry “Milambraay”, which means cow in aboriginal. This influence is very apparent as you look at her. She has consistent aboriginal ‘journey’ and ‘meeting place’ symbols on both of her sides, as well as the indigenous symbols for rain, sun and the stars.
The ‘journey’ and ‘meeting place’ symbols on one side combine cleverly with the journey that cotton takes from growing and picking through to the final product.
Each ‘meeting place’ has cotton samples at a different stages of its production. These are connected through the journey by cotton spools and strung cotton highlighting the path.
The simplicity and colours found in aboriginal paintings are echoed in the styling and colours chosen to paint her.
“Milambraay” also shows the landscape through the progression of art history –aboriginal painting styles through to a ‘starry starry sky’ with Vincent van Gogh influences.
She has a hidden cave as well (complete with cave paintings of cows reminiscent of Lascaux)with a cotton farm landscape inside.
