It's not often a cancelled trip back to your home would end up being a blessing, but for Stawell Secondary College VCAL student Albert Eldridge, the pandemic helped him better understand himself.
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Earlier in the year, the proud Wangkatha man planned to return home to Western Australia, as part of his Personal Development Skill class.
"COVID cancelled that out," he joked. "Mr Frost (his teacher) started spitballing ideas, and he suggested I do a mural.
"It was Reconciliation Week at the time, so I went with the flow and started thinking about the theme, which was 'We're All In This Together' and I started thinking about how we are all one people in Australia."
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Albert moved to Stawell from Kalgoorlie with his father to be closer to family in the region.
With no connection to the Djab Wurrung people of the Grampians region, he said the process of creating the painting gave him a better understanding.
"Through some cultural activity and help from the school's Indigenous officer Caroline Clode, I feel more connected with the land around me," Albert said.
"This is now my second home.
"I feel that I have a better connection with my own culture now too."
Before the project, Albert had no affinity with art, but with the help of art teacher Dale Harris, he took on the project.
"We probably spent six weeks planning out the painting; everything was made from scratch," Albert said.
"The painting has all three flags in it, showing that Reconciliation Week is not just for Indigenous people, it's for all Australians. It has water everywhere, connecting up the three watering holes.
"Doing the project made me feel like I can take on new things."
Principal Carlos Lopez praised Albert for his amazing journey.
"Albert found that art can be used as a vehicle for his culture," Mr Lopez said.
"The project provided him with calm and stability to engage with his learning, in what was a trying year."
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Ben Fraser
Ben is the Editor with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Ben is the former chief of staff at the Portland Observer, a qualified teacher, and an Leadership Great South Coast alumni (2019).
Ben is the Editor with the Wimmera Mail-Times, Stawell Times-News and Ararat Advertiser. Ben is the former chief of staff at the Portland Observer, a qualified teacher, and an Leadership Great South Coast alumni (2019).
