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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The JNC acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands on which we work, the Gadigal and Bidjigal People of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that these lands always were and always will be Aboriginal lands. We celebrate First Nations Peoples’ connection to the land and recognise the importance of Indigenous voices and culture. We would like to advise that there may be images or videos on this website of people who have since passed.

SUNSET DREAMING

03/06/2026 in Uncategorized

As National Reconciliation Week 2026 (NRW) comes to an end we are excited to launch SUNSET DREAMING. This is an extension of the JNC brand, created by local artists, Gail Murphy and Bambi Murphy, two Bidjigal women from La Perouse who live and work in the community. We are lucky enough to have them both as part of our JNC team. To create this artwork, we took the concepts, ideas, artworks and language from JNC’s 2025 National Reconciliation Week Project to create an extension of the JNC brand which represents our commitment to Reconciliation and to being part of this year’s theme, All In.

In late 2025 JNC’s First Nations staff members came together with the leadership team to create a list of words that identified what our organisation means to the Aboriginal Community in the Randwick LGA. Combining this and the community input from 2025’s NRW project, words such as yarn, connect, voice, mob, community, and respect were used to guide the creation of an artwork to identify JNC as a culturally safer organisation for First Nations people and communities.

In early 2026 Gail Murphy and Bambi Murphy, two Bidjigal women from La Perouse who are local artists and members of the JNC team, created an artwork with acrylic on paper and Emma Hicks, our graphic designer, worked to digitise the piece for use in JNC’s branding. From this came this beautiful image, SUNSET DREAMING. This work is broken into four clear elements: the women in the middle, the water running through the bottom, the sun standing strong, and the background.

Full Artwork Summary

This artwork tells the story that, although people may feel alone, with a little bit of help, understanding and connection, they don’t need to remain alone and in a dark and isolated place. The sun is always shining; sometimes we just need a hand to lead us into the light. With the support of the water and the sun, everything can flourish and grow. The Eastern Suburbs areas that we work in are the areas of the saltwater people and in this image the representation of water is used to express connection, trust, and hope.

In the following sections we break down the meaning of the elements in the artwork:

Water

The water tracing underneath and behind the women is not only a journey line but a storyline too.  We see the waves going up and down, representing the journey that many have. The experience of both highs and lows. All the dots in between the waves represent other places, other people, other organisations. In times of complex circumstances and crisis people can often feel isolated and alone. This story represents that in these times, a small bit of support from others can build a strong foundation of trust and create a new and meaningful connection.

Women

The three women in the central front of the work have their hands up in the sky. This represents reaching, stretching and searching for a new path, a new beginning. For many people that access JNC’s support, knowing what is needed is one of the most difficult parts of the journey. Our organisation’s committed workers support people in reaching these new goals and in understanding their new journeys.

Sun

Central to the image we have the colourful sun, representing the better days that can come when getting out of a crisis. Each woman in this image is looking for renewal, stretching for a new beginning. The sun is a reminder that this renewal is always waiting. Ready to be there for you. Backing your journey the whole time. The story of the sun is about new beginnings. You cannot live without the sun, you cannot survive without the sun, it is the background of changing your circumstances. The sun is always there to support you and will be available, even if you are not always looking towards it.

Background

The blue background of the artwork and the two circular elements, represent the past and the future, the yesterdays and the tomorrows. There are multiple meanings of this work; the two purple circular elements can represent the bad and good, the stepping from the old life to bring a new life. Just as for a seed, the sun renews these pieces, refreshing and growing everyone’s journeys. You can see many white dots in the background representing all the people and places you have connected with throughout your life.

All parts of our work at JNC follow the journeys that this artwork represents. Understanding the sense of connection that is so prevalent in this work is the backbone of our organisation’s purpose and the way we work in communities.

We hope the use of this artwork in our communications demonstrates our commitment to Reconciliation. Moving forward, we will use this artwork in our communications and branding to identify our organisation as a safe space for First Nations people and to let people know that everyone is welcome at JNC.