At the heart of Winter Whale Fest is a story nearly as old as the waves themselves – the Dreaming of Kondoli, the whale who gave fire to the people.
It’s a story of transformation, knowledge and connection to Country. And it’s a story that lives on not just in ceremony and language, but in art – both traditional and contemporary.
This year, the story of Kondoli flows into the Coral Street Art Space, where Ngarrindjeri artist Amanda Westley is curating the 2025 Water People exhibition, ‘Water on Country’.
The show is a powerful celebration of First Nations connection to water – coast to desert, north to south – and Amanda’s vision brings together artists from across Australia in a show that’s both deeply personal and proudly collective.
‘This is the third Water People exhibition,’ Amanda says, ‘but this is the first year that the show will be 100% First Nations. I’m really excited about that vision.’
A Victor Harbor vision, shared internationally
Amanda Westley grew up on a farm outside of Victor Harbor. Her family is one of the oldest Aboriginal families on the south coast, and her totems (or ‘natchis’ in Ngarrindjeri language) – the whale, pelican and black swan – speak to the enduring bond between Ngarrindjeri people and the sea.
Her bright, contemporary dot paintings are shaped by this landscape and her life story. ‘I like to use my art to educate,’ she says. ‘To pave an easier pathway for younger generations.
‘My art gives me a small platform, and I like to use that platform to educate people about things that affect First Nations communities, or to tell stories about First Nations issues from a First Nations perspective.’
This week, one of Amanda’s paintings made national news when it found its way to a very unexpected place – gifted by the Prime Minister to the new Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican.
‘I didn’t think much of it to start with,’ she laughs. ‘I thought it was pretty cool, and it’d be a good pic on Instagram.’
‘But after reflecting, I’m actually really proud, not just for me and my family, but it’s huge for Ngarrindjeri mob – you don’t see our art represented as often as art from other parts of Australia, so it’s nice to enjoy some recognition.’
The artwork, entitled Raukkan (Ngarrindjeri for ‘meeting place’), is a vibrant aerial view of Country in the tones Amanda associates with Raukkan (formerly Point McLeay Mission), which was returned to Ngarrindjeri people. It’s a piece that speaks to connection and cultural strength.
A meeting place of stories and saltwater
Water People 2025: Water on Country runs from June 6 to July 31 at Coral Street Art Space and brings together an extraordinary group of First Nations artists with diverse relationships to water – whether from desert communities, coastal regions, islands or river country.
‘Regardless of where mob is in Australia, whether it’s central or coastal, we have some sort of connection to water,’ Amanda says.
‘It fascinates me that, although each mob is different, they’re all brought together, linked somehow by water. That’s the main vision for the show.’
She’s worked closely with artists and communities from across the country to bring this exhibition to life – including artists from Manupi Arts on the Tiwi Islands, and the Pormpuraaw mob near Cairns, who craft stunning sculptures known as ghost nets from discarded ocean debris.
‘I just love that their connection with water is so different. They collect the nets left behind in the ocean by illegal fishing and turn them into these beautiful sculptures.’
Closer to home, the show also provides a platform for some less well-known (but no less talented) Ngarrindjeri artists who are producing exciting new works.
Amanda is keen to give local audiences opportunities that aren’t often afforded to small town galleries – both to see the works of nationally significant artists, as well as to discover the work of lower profile local artists with whom they may not be familiar.
‘Some of the artists in this show are represented in massive galleries all over the world,’ Amanda says, ‘so it’s really exciting to show their work in Victor Harbor.
‘Small towns sometimes miss out on the sort of art you’ll see in Water People this year, so it’s really special that the town gets to experience it.’
Art with the colours of home
As a local, Amanda brings more than curatorial expertise to the show – she brings her own lens, rooted in a love of place.
‘From an artist’s point of view,’ she says, ‘the colours that you see [in this part of the world] are just unlike anywhere else … these coastal colours – I love them.
‘I try to incorporate them into my art as much as I can, because I don’t think we see these sorts of colours anywhere else.’
A show that belongs to this place
Water People 2025: Water on Country is more than an art exhibition – it’s a conversation between Country and community, past and present, inland and ocean.
As part of the Winter Whale Fest, it adds depth to a month of celebrations, anchoring visitors not just in nature, but in story.
Victor Harbor might be known for its surf and summer sun, but in winter, a different kind of beauty emerges – wild, windswept and full of meaning.
With Amanda Westley at the helm, Water People invites us all to feel that deeper current.
