Wambuul Oceans

Wiradjuri refers to the people of the three rivers: the Macquarie (Wambool), the Lachlan (Kalare), and the Murrumbidgee.

Growing up in the country, there were always times when the waters and dams were contaminated so that you couldn’t drink the tap water without first sterilising it. This is actually the norm for the majority of towns and cities all across Australia. It shouldn’t be normal. I wanted a poem that touched on my experience of realising this was, in fact, unusual after I started living in Wollongong. That doesn’t mean that the water in these cities is going to last forever, though.

I also wanted to draw a comparison between the rivers and dams I came from, to the oceans by which I am now surrounded. Just because our oceans are large, it doesn’t mean we can’t make a difference when it comes to looking after our Country and waters. This poem is about a world touched by colonialism and capitalism, and how our current impact is a ticking time bomb.

I wanted this poem to talk about the beauty and danger of our waters, while also acknowledging that despite how large our country is and how long these waters span, we are slowly killing them. I expressed awe at the majesty of giant whales, oceans and rivers who have lived long before us in their wisdom, and the fact that we will be the ones to outlive them if nothing is done. I wanted urgency, I wanted desperation, and I want something to be done.