Aunty Olga Miller garden | UniSC | University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia

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Aunty Olga Miller garden

This garden is a dedication to Aunty Olga Miller, Butchulla Elder and traditional “Caboonya” or Keeper of the Records. Aunty Olga was a respected Aboriginal historian, author and teacher of Aboriginal culture for over 40 years.

Respected artist Aunty Joyce Watson created the magnificent artwork for the garden and based the theme of the garden around the books written by Aunty Olga. The garden incorporates significant cultural landmarks and plants from Butchulla Country.

The sandstone rocks represent three significant mountains on country that are referred to in Aunty Olga’s books, Bophal (Bauple), Theebine and Kanigan.

The mountain and island (K’gari–Fraser Island) ends of the garden are linked by a series of story plaques along the winding Butchulla creation story of Yindingie (Carpet Snake), and lead to a Yarning Circle.

The plaque in the middle of the yarning circle is the symbol for Buallum Jarl-Bah or ‘Pelican Place of Learning’. Aunty Olga was passionate that the only way forward for her people was through education, and this garden is reflective that culture and education go hand in hand.