Creative Junction

Yarra Junction - Alway been here, always will be - Glenn Romanis.jpg

 

 

Summary

Three sculptures and five interpretative signs are located on theRiver Walk and Rail Trail in Yarra Junction Reserve. The inspiration for these artworks comes from a series of art and environmental workshops held with the local community under the titleCreative Junction.The project aims is to encourage health and wellbeing through active community participation.

 

Always Been Here, Always Will Be

Title: Always Been Here, Always Will Be
Artist: Glenn Romanis
Artwork Type: Mosaic
Year: 2005
Location: Yarra Junction Reserve
Coordinates:Latitude: 37.4652.8 Longitude: 145.3639.4

Junction is an ephemeral sculpture and represents the timber tramways. Glenn worked with local timber getters, Des Morrish, Les Adams and Roger Davies to create this sculpture. Like the original tramways it will decay over time. In 2025, only remnants of this sculpture exists. 

Always Been Here, Always Will Be by Glenn Romanis, is ground piece which references the Southern Cross and local flora by symbolising the sky we all live under and the Yarra River that runs through it. The artwork refers to the concepts of ‘time and place’ through a unique interplay of natural materials from ancient and modern times. It integrates flora fossils from the late Permian Period (from 245 to 275 million years old) with petrified wood from the Lilydale area (from 120 – 150 million years old), alongside local granite and cement adhesive.

Meeting place of the Manna Gum Peoples by sculptor Savaad Felich consists of rusted metal two-metre-tall Manna gum leaves encircled by granite rocks. It represents local people's connection to place and the significance of the Manna gum as a symbol of local Indigenous culture.

The sculpture was inspired by a Welcome to Country ceremony conducted by Wurundjeri elder Joy Wandin Murphy, in which she explained the significance of the Manna Gum to local Aboriginal people.
 
Savaad studied the community workshops and journals to create a sculptural depiction of a meeting place, where larger-than-life Manna Gum leaves encircled by granite rocks create a welcoming experience amongst the natural surrounds of the Yarra Junction Reserve. Savaad’s sculpture invites participation and, being near the river ‘beach area’ and the playground, offers a perfect opportunity for people to experience the ambience of the Yarra Junction Reserve while sitting amongst the rocks or walking amongst the leaves.

 

Meeting Place of the Manna Gum Peoples

Title: Meeting Place of the Manna Gum Peoples
Artist: Savaad Felich
Artwork Type: Sculpture
Year: 2005
Location: Yarra Junction Reserve
Coordinates:Latitude: -37.7796 Longitude: 145.6119

 

Meeting place of the Manna Gum Peoples by sculptor Mr Savaad Felich consists of metallic two-metre-tall Manna gum leaves encircled by granite rocks. It represents local people's connection to place and the significance of the Manna gum as a symbol of local Indigenous culture.

 The sculpture (2005) was inspired by a Welcome to Country ceremony conducted by Wurundjeri elder Joy Wandin Murphy, in which she explained the significance of the Manna Gum to local Aboriginal people.

 Located in green parkland adjacent to the Little Yarra River, the sculpture can be found directly behind the football oval at Yarra Junction.

 Savaad studied the community workshops and journals to create a sculptural depiction of a meeting place, where larger-than-life Manna Gum leaves encircled by granite rocks create a welcoming experience amongst the natural surrounds of the Yarra Junction Reserve. Savaad’s sculpture invites participation and, being near the river ‘beach area’ and the playground, offers a perfect opportunity for people to experience the ambience of the Yarra Junction Reserve while sitting amongst the rocks or walking amongst the leaves.

After installation Savaad treated the pieces with a water and salt solution to facilitate the rusting process.

 

 

Visiting

Find Junction in the garden bed between the Yarra Centre and the Rail Trail, before you continue along the Rail Trail towards the football oval. Beside the path and directly in front of the Yarra Centre car park you will find Always Been Here, Always Will Be. Find your way to the other side of the football oval, and located in green parkland adjacent to the Little Yarra River is Meeting of the Manna Gum Peoples.

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