Lesson sequence 8

What are monuments?

Monuments can be different shapes and sizes. A monument can be a statue, building or other structure erected to commemorate a notable person or event.

Monuments are usually made from material that will withstand time and weathering.

History of monuments at Kamay

Monuments have been installed at Kamay Botany Bay since 1870 to commemorate the arrival of Cook and the Endeavour.

In more recent times, the monuments portray the views of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

The newest monuments are three bronze sculptures installed in 2020 to mark 250 years since the arrival of Cook.

Kamay 2020 sculptures

The purpose of these monuments is to help people understand different ways of thinking and feeling about the Endeavour's arrival at Kamay Botany Bay in 1770. They represent views from both the ship and the shore. Because sculptures are artistic and unlabeled, different people may find different meanings in them.

The sculptures commemorate the first encounters between Aboriginal Australians and the crew of the HMB Endeavour, 250 years ago and represent the beginning of our shared history.

The monuments installed in 2020 are designed to 'bring to life the First Encounter theme - views from the ship and views from the shore. They represent when our two diverse cultures first combined to begin our shared history. '

Nawi / mudgerra bark canoes

Two bronze canoe sculptures are located on the shoreline. The canoes have been cast from real bark canoes made by Aboriginal men in June 2019.

The canoes are made using traditional methods. The final shape of each canoe is unique as the bark is a natural product.

To do

View the video Nawi / mudgerra sculptures.

• Why has the artist included canoes as a monument?

• Why is Kamay Botany Bay a great place for canoes?

Extension

• View the video Making of a bark canoe (4:55min).

• Share three things that you learnt from the video clip.

Wi-Yanga and Gurung the whales

This mother and calf are humpback whales. Humpback whales migrate along the coast every year. Whales are important for the Dharawal people. Dreaming stories are also very important to Aboriginal people.

To do

Examine the whale sculpture.

• The whales are facing out to sea. Why do you think the artist chose this location?

• How does this monument represent people, place and/or time?

View the video Dharawal whale Dreaming story.

• Why did the Dharawal people have to leave Nurran?

• During the story, each of the characters mentioned changes the way they look or behave because of something that happens in the story. Describe the way each character changes and explain why the change occurs.​

Extension

• Have whales ever passed you by? How do whales make you feel?

• Place whale feeling words into wordle word cloud maker.

Activity 1 – Eyes of the land and sea sculpture

Perspectives

Reading the inscriptions is like reading a book with the words written inside the ‘ribs’ instead of on paper. The words and pictures are from first hand journal accounts of what happened during those first contacts.

Activity sheet

• Make your own sculpture using the template in the Eyes of the land and sea sculpture activity sheet.

Meeting place monument

People have lived at Kamay Botany Bay for thousands of years. Kurnell is a significant site as a meeting place for the Gweagal, the Aboriginal people living on the southern shore of Kamay Botany Bay.

This Meeting place monument has been created to help vistors remember the Gweagal people. The whole area was important to the Gweagal as they met together at different times.

To do

• View the video Meeting place monument.

• What can you see in this monument?

• Why do you think it is a circular shape? What does it represent?

Activity 2 – Meeting place monument

The Meeting place monument has four focus themes. Scroll through the image gallery to discover the themes.

These themes are found throughout the park and help us to remember the significance of this site.

• What are the themes?

• Why do you think these themes were chosen?

• How do the words, visuals and the layout work together?

Activity sheet

• Complete the Meeting place monument activity sheet.

James Cook

Lieutenant James Cook captained the HMB Endeavour and led the landing at Kamay Botany Bay.

Cook monument

The monument to James Cook was the first monument at Kamay Botany Bay. It was erected in 1870 to commemorate 100 years since the arrival of Cook at Botany Bay. The intent was to locate it as close as possible to the spot where Cook landed.

The monument was paid for by the Honorable Thomas Holt, MLC. It was designed by architect Mr GA Mansfield in the form of an Egyptian obelisk.

To do

• View the video Monument Cook.

• Write down or tell your partner three great things that Cook achieved.

• Read the extract from the 1871 newspaper article about the monument.

• What was the intent of the monument when it was erected?

• What perspective of Cook is portrayed in the 1871 article?

Extension

Journals written on board the Endeavour, and especially Cook's journal, help us to learn about the first contacts at Kamay Botany Bay, 250 years ago. These journal entries are primary sources. That is, they are written by people who were actually there.

• View the video of Cook's Journal. Endeavour journal is an episode of the series National Treasures, produced in 2004.

Activity 3 – news flash

• Write a short paragraph to describe why the monument to Cook was installed in 1870.

• If you were an Aboriginal person in 1871 how would you have felt to see this monument and to read about what it commemorates in the newspaper?

• Write a short paragraph for the newspaper in response to the 1871 article about the monument installation. Imagine you were a Gweagal man or woman writing back to the paper about this 1871 article. What would you write?

• Share your writing with your group or class. You could try role-playing the perspective of a Gweagal man or woman, or a European settler or descendant.

Activity 4 – mini design task

Many people visit the National Park and enjoy the beauty, nature and monuments of Kamay Botany Bay National Park. People purchase souvenirs at the visitor centre everyday.

Design a new product for Kamay Botany Bay National Park especially aimed at children, such as a library bag, drink bottle or pencil case.

• Decide on your product.

• Experiment with designs inspired by the botany of the area.

• ​Draw a labelled sketch of your design on your product.

• Compose a short statement that promotes your design.

• Pitch your design to your class.

Forby Sutherland

Forby Sutherland was an able seaman on the HMB Endeavour. By the time the Endeavour reached Botany Bay, Forby was so unwell he was unable to walk to the deck and view this strange, new land.

He died of tuberculosis and was buried on the shore – the first English person to be buried in Australian soil. He was buried on the beach, above the high tide mark, not far from the watering place.

Sutherland monument

In 1906 a competition among architects was held to design a monument to Forby Sutherland to mark his grave site but nothing came of it. In 1933 the Royal Australian Historical Society marked the location of Forby's grave-site with a commemorative plaque.

To do

• View the video Forby Sutherland's monument.

• Thinking about the design of this monument...would you say it is more like a factual text which gives us information, or an art work that makes us wonder about the meaning?

• Imagine if an artist or sculptor had designed Sutherland's monument. What could the monument look like?

• What are your thoughts on the design of this monument?

Activity 5 – compare and design

Compare

• Choose three monuments to observe.

Activity sheet

• Record similarities and differences using the Monument comparison activity sheet.

Design

• Design a monument that could be installed at Kamay to represent the significance of the first contact.

Activity sheet

• Use the Design a monument activity sheet to guide you through the design process.