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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Mabel Downs Station, 2018

by Shirley Purdie

Mabel Downs Station, 2018

“This is about when I was young and I bin start learning for work. This story when I bin learn to work on Mabel Downs Station. This one when I bin start washing clothes; this one when I used to go for nanny goat to milk ‘em milk; that one I bin learn to make bed for gardiya.”

When Shirley was around 15 years of age, she recalls being taught to work as a maid on Mabel Downs Station. She had to wake up very early before sunrise, and commit to arduous labour involving polishing the floors; washing clothes by boiling them and ironing them; making the whitefella’s beds; and collecting fresh milk by milking the nanny goats on the station. She would work right through until the end of dinner time, washing up the dishes when the station owners finished their meals, and retiring after long work days that lasted around 12 hours.

Shirley Purdie
(More information, View all 37 images)

Marlowal Dreaming (Female rock wallaby Dreaming))
Marlowal Nagarra (rock wallaby skin)
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Thilin-Thilin Gooragall Nyajaringil Garnkiny-nu (white gum tree, mother for the moon)

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Marilyn Ball, Albatross, 2018 (detail) by Linde Ivimey

So Fine

Contemporary women artists make Australian history

Previous exhibition, 2018

This exhibition features new works from ten women artists reinterpreting and reimagining elements of Australian history, enriching the contemporary narrative around Australia’s history and biography, reflecting the tradition of storytelling in our country.
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The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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