The Colebrook Reconciliation Park

This week I visited the Colebrook Reconciliation Park at Eden Hills. 
It is home to a collection of truly moving and historical pieces of Indigenous art and sculpture that represents the history and heartache that was brought about by the assimilation of half-caste children into western society. As I strolled amongst the native trees and read about the history of this site I could feel this strong sense of spirituality radiating from the earth. To have an area such as this that has been left virtually untouched by construction provides a refreshing escape from the hustle and bustle of city living. It provides this exclusivity that registers a sense of peace, despite that pain that this particular site had caused in the past.
The sculpture of 'The Grieving Mother' is a hauntingly stunning piece that allows everyone to connect with it and understand the underlying emotion and story that it represents, for most people have lost something near and dear to them in their life, it may not be on the same level, but it is still relatable. 

 'The Grieving Mother'  'The Pool of Tears'

'The Pool of Tears' was my favourite piece at the site. The detail and emotion portrayed in the carved faces of the fountain was amazing. It really makes you realise the vast majority of people that an event such as this has an effect on, and questions whether the white settlers were too naive to realise that they were effectively tearing families apart and causing more pain than was necessary.
Scattered around the site were traditional Indigenous dot paintings which strengthened the cultural ties to the site and made me feel like an 'outsider' of sorts looking in on history and seeing the story from the side that we aren't normally educated about. The recreation park also provided a small camping area that was very environmentally friendly and reflective of camp sites the Indigenous people lived in. It made the park very inviting and showed me that it is a place where families are encouraged to come and reflect on the past and move on with their lives as times have changed and society has become more accepting. On the wall facing the road is painted a quote that I found to be very fitting and summarised the significance of the site;

'We cannot forget the past, but we can come together and unite as one, in friendship and forgiveness and honouring each other's culture'.