An exhibition of photographic portraits, videoworks and moving personal narratives.
Ellie Marankis, Kathryn - Women of the LMRIA, 2023-2024, photo
During the ravaging Murray River floods of 2022-2023, Women of the Lower Murray Reclaimed Irrigation Area (LMRIA) was formed as a support group united by ties to farming from Mannum to Wellington. Founding member, Alexandra Westlake, led an extraordinary Community Building + Inclusivity project that focussed on growing community connection and raising awareness of their lived experiences.
Collaborator and photographer Ellie Maranakis gathered their personal stories of spirited resilience and determination against ongoing challenges, visually capturing their deep love for their families and farmlands.
Rise from the Overflow spotlights the voices of six WLMRIA women, with large-scale photographs and biographical videoworks, a wonderful public program opportunity and an accompanying booklet of their stories.
Click here for words from Alex and Ellie
Click here for stories and photos
FREE SPECIAL EVENT
1-3pm Sunday 24 August
Guest speaker: Angela Goode
renowned author, journalist and radio presenter
Join us for an afternoon of sharing stories and great discussions with Angela Goode and key Women of LMRIA members.
Women are the glue holding farms and rural communities together. When hardship strikes, they roll up their sleeves, put lipstick on and take action. Women of the land today are as resilient and resourceful as the pioneers of the past. However, there is no template to survival. Each year brings new and unpredictable challenges.
The physical distance of city consumers from farms makes the task of communicating the effects of drought and flood extraordinarily difficult. At Murray Bridge Regional Gallery, I will discuss ways of closing that gap, in conversation with key local farm women.
ANGELA GOODE – BIO
Angela was a journalist at The Advertiser before marrying a cattleman. As a columnist for 26 years on rural issues and farm life, she aimed to bridge the gap between city and country.
She and her husband were cattle producers for almost 40 years and battled severe droughts despite living on land that was renowned as being reliable. They now live halfway up a volcano in Mount Gambier, SA.
In her regular ABC Country Hour spot, she decided one morning to pay tribute to the working dogs on her farm. Working dog fame erupted. First there were books, then festivals, auctions, television shows and now Bluey. Angela is the author of six books including Great Working Dog Stories and Through the Farm Gate.
Jointly funded by the Commonwealth and South Australian Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.