A new multichannel audiovisual artwork by multi-disciplinary artist Tahlia Palmer (Yuwaalaraay/Gamilaraay and mixed European descent), created in collaboration with Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung man Jasper Cohen-Hunter, will premiere at the Koorie Heritage Trust in March. Bringing together sound, moving image and archival material, Occupation Studies: They Tried to Tame Birrarung examines the ongoing impacts of colonial land and water management practices along the Birrarung.
The exhibition, running March 7 - May 17, marks the first presentation of the new three-channel audiovisual work, developed through an artistic and research-based inquiry grounded in Palmer's 2024 creative residency with the Public Records Office Victoria (PROV).
Drawing on historical records alongside contemporary field recordings, the project explores how colonial decision-making has reshaped waterways and continues to shape Country today.
At the heart of the project is a collaborative approach that centres First Peoples knowledge and lived connection to Country. Working closely with Cohen-Hunter, Palmer identified significant sites along the Birrarung, recording on location to ensure cultural and historical context is embedded directly into the work. Cohen-Hunter's voice and perspectives are woven into the soundscape, offering insight into the river's past, present and enduring cultural significance.
Using immersive sound and video, the installation contrasts contemporary and historical perspectives of altered river systems, reflecting the KHT's commitment to supporting First Peoples creatives who are exploring the use of new technology and digital media in their creative practice.
Field recordings captured both above and below the water's surface are layered with video footage from key sites, oral histories and cultural knowledge shared by Cohen-Hunter, alongside selected archival materials. These include reproduced maps and documents from PROV that trace the colonial transformation of waterways through surveying, diversion and control.
The resulting installation is both meditative and critical, inviting audiences to listen closely and reflect on the long-term environmental and cultural consequences of colonial resource management. By making these histories both visible and audible, the work encourages a deeper understanding of how past decisions continue to shape contemporary landscapes.
Palmer was born on Whudjuk Noongar Boodjar, and is descended from a paternal line who survived dispossession, forced assimilation and the Stolen Generations in New South Wales and Queensland, and maternal Dutch grandparents who survived the Second World War. Her art practice works on confronting the conditions that create and perpetuate intergenerational trauma, as well as finding pathways for healing.
In her work she critically engages with history, politics, and environmental issues to advocate for Sovereign Indigenous perspectives. She releases ambient/drone/noise soundscapes under the pseudonym "amby downs", named after the Queensland station on which her Murri ancestors worked in servitude.
Cohen-Hunter is a media practitioner, writer and community organiser dedicated to advancing the struggle for Wurundjeri Sovereignty. His published work is focused on an Indigenous perspective of decolonisation, anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism from within so-called Australia. He is also an independent researcher on cultural revitalisation, native ecology and frontier resistance.
The project was supported by the City of Melbourne - Quick Response Grant (June 2025).
Occupation Studies: They Tried to Tame Birrarung exhibition is supported by Creative Victoria, City of Melbourne, Creative Australia, Indigenous Visual Arts Industry Support, ANZ Bank and Viva Energy Australia.
Occupation Studies: They Tried to Tame Birrarung, Saturday 7 March - Sunday 17 May 2026 at the Koorie Heritage Trust, Birrarung Building, Fed Square.
