Hear from artists Clare McCracken and Heather Hesterman speak about their exhibition Wild Country, which explores the historical, cultural, and social importance of the Ovens River and its tributaries.

Growing up in North East Victoria Clare McCracken found herself, when missing home, on google maps exploring satellite views of the area. During lockdown she became further fascinated - digging deep into the history of the Ovens River and its significant Indigenous heritage, goldmining, cattle farming, tobacco and hops industries. She found many histories of the river that she was completely unfamiliar with, emphasising the extraordinary importance of the river to the communities along its path.

Through documentation of performative fieldwork, creative writing and participatory practice, McCracken and Hesterman tease out the complex political, social, cultural, economic, and ecological histories of the river and what it means for the many communities along it.

Image: Clare McCracken and Heather Hesterman, Wild Country: All that is lost and sometimes found, 2024. Photo by Andrew Ferris.