“Water Water Aesthetic Responses to the Goulburn Broken Catchment” was an exhibition of visual art, music and architecture work by students from ANU and RMIT and conducted in conjunction with the Greater Shepparton City Council’s RiverConnect program as a RiverConnect Arts project.

The exhibition was held from 6 September to 14 October at two locations;

• Greater Shepparton City Council Eastbank Centre Foyer;
• Shop 4, The Butter Factory Shopping precinct.

 A celebratory event was held on 25 September to explain the exhibition, thank community participants and outline the ANU/RMIT connection with RiverConnect project. Approximately 65 people attended including students, guests and staff.  

The exhibition at the Butter Factory was staffed by volunteers from the Kialla Gardens Action Committee, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority and other interested community members. The exhibition space was open from 10am-2pm Saturdays and Sundays and was also opened by special request for interested groups. This venue was open from 22 September to 14 October and attracted 51 visitors.

The exhibition received positive feedback from contributors, partnership agencies, staff and guests with many hopeful that the architecture students’ conceptual designs for an interpretive centre will be used to stimulate further community discussion.  The Friends of the Australian Botanic Gardens Shepparton had a particularly thought-provoking briefing by RMIT University’s Senior Lecturer, Richard Black, and his students.

 Two catalogues (ANU’s Catalogue of Visual Art - Water Water Aesthetic Responses to the Goulburn Broken Catchment and RMIT University’s Projects for RiverConnect – Master of Architecture Design Studio) are a tangible legacy of the project and the exhibition. The ANU publication can be purchased from the Shepparton Art Museum, the Visitor Information Centre, and the Goulburn Broken CMA.  

Positive relationships continue to be developed with ANU and RMIT and local community organisations such as the Shepparton Camera Club and the Shepparton Heritage Centre, which will help to raise the profile of the RiverConnect Project in circles outside our city boundaries which may assist in attracting funding and further collaborations.

Thanks should be forwarded to Rod McLennan and Bruce Cumming from the RiverConnect Community Advisory Committee who gave a great deal of their time and efforts in a voluntary capacity. RiverConnect relies on the ongoing contribution from such people with skills and expertise in natural resource management to grow and develop the project, so their input greatly is appreciated.

 The exhibition and event was a success on this occasion and RiverConnect looks forward to continuing the relationship with ANU and RMIT by working on such projects in the future.