On the Land

On the Land was all about this rich and bountiful land. It was about people and places and how we have settled the land. It was the first major exhibition on Australian wool for over two decades.

How do we reconcile the rich social and economic history of the wool industry with the drastic environmental and cultural impact of the industry over the last two centuries? This question was constantly in tension at all moments throughout the experience.

On the Land began with a major new exhibit on the Wadawurrung people – the Traditional Owners of the Geelong region.

In the 1830s Europeans landed on what is now Victoria, in south-eastern Australia, they arrived with flocks of sheep and colonised the rich grasslands that had been manicured for thousands of years by First Nations’ peoples. On the Land is the story of the Western Districts of Victoria as a microcosm of the Australian wool experience. It is the story of how the land was settled with sheep and offers deeper cultural and environmental critique of the Australian wool industry.

By retelling the wool story, we also sparked new conversations with First Nations communities, land management, animal welfare, environmental impact and the future of the industry.

On the Land was a renewed Australian story that replaced the National Wool Museum’s 30-year-old Wool Harvest exhibition. With a contemporary look and feel, updated interactives, renewed culturally relevant stories, this project was all about change.

One of the most innovative parts of the exhibition was the deep care to listen to the stories of the land. Bringing various voices and stories into conversation about the past, present and future of the land delivered a uniquely rich experience.