Destination WA - Art Story in Pemberton

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-05

[00:00:03]For tens of thousands of years, the Nunga have passed down knowledge of land through stories shared in song, dance, and art. Today, it lives on in a whole new way through creativity, imagination, and collaboration. This forest is still telling stories, inviting people to connect, reflect, and care for the land, just as those stories have done for generations.

[00:00:30]I'm deep down in our southwest forest in a little town called North Cliff and there's something magical about these little country towns in WA. Something I just can't put my finger on. But if you spend a little bit of time here and get off the beaten track, you'll see that the natural landscape is more than just beauty. It's magical. It's peaceful. And just across the road over here, there's a 20-year-old love letter. Little bit of Romeo and Juliet in the bush, I reckon.

[00:00:58]Come on, let's go and check it out.

[00:01:03]This is Understory, a one-of-a-kind art trail where nature and imagination are woven together. But what makes it truly special isn't just what you see, it's the story behind it.

[00:01:16]For more than 20 years, this trail has been shaped by the people of North Cliff. I'm catching up with general manager and artistic director Fiona and local artist Peter.

[00:01:27]>> This place is more than a bushw walk, isn't it? You know, you get out of the car from the drive down and then you walk through and you come to this little pathway and suddenly it's just like >> Yeah, >> just a breath of fresh air.

[00:01:39]>> That's great. I'm so glad you had the experience because that's what we had in mind when we created it. It's about asking people to slow down and breathe in the smell of the bush. Feel your feet on the ground. Listen to the sound of country and take your time and discover what is out there along the trail.

[00:01:57]>> Pete, you and I was talking earlier about when the young kids come out >> and it opens their mind up, doesn't it?

[00:02:03]>> We are a part of nature. So, we're all part of it. We're not looking in from the outside. So, spending that time, they can sort of get to know it.

[00:02:12]>> All the work here on the trail is sight responsive. So that means we ask artists to come and spend some time here and get inspired by the nature or by the stories or by the people that they meet here.

[00:02:26]>> So Kim, you put these sculptures in the trees.

[00:02:29]>> Yeah, they're all jer charcoal.

[00:02:31]>> Jericho charcoal.

[00:02:32]>> So I go out to the bush because of prescribed burning. There's so much charcoal around. And then cast the models from live models.

[00:02:42]>> So you know this girl?

[00:02:43]>> Yeah. How many do you have through the path?

[00:02:46]>> I think there's 48.

[00:02:49]>> Yeah.

[00:02:49]>> Actually, this was my studio for 7 months.

[00:02:52]>> Wow.

[00:02:53]>> Building these carbon nature sculptures.

[00:02:56]>> In a place like this, the stories don't end. They evolve. Carried from generation to generation, shaped by those who listen and those who choose to add their own chapter. Here, the forest isn't just something you walk through.

[00:03:12]It's something you're invited to be a part of.

[00:03:16]>> Definitely not your average walk in the bush, but it is another great destination here in WA.