Thrivance: Then, Now, Next is a powerful new sculptural installation located on Hillclimb Track in Sherbrooke Forest along the ngurrak barring trail.

This major new public artwork is a collaboration between Tiriki Onus, a Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung artist, academic and maker; Jenna Lee, a Larrakia, Wardaman and Karajarri contemporary artist and graphic designer and Jamie Ferguson of Aeroplane Workshop.

Drawing from the Onus family archive, Thrivance: Then, Now, Next weaves together four generations of family history, activism, and creative expression that have taken place in goranwarrabil (the Dandenong Ranges).

In the following statement, Tiriki outlines his role in continuing this legacy:

I have the great honour in this space of being a custodian for the stories of my family, my family's stories here on this Country, which is not ours. Yet, through the love and the diplomacy that have been shown to us by those who speak for this place, we've managed to contribute our stories here and the stories of my family and my community, are not just those of resilience or strength, they're not stories of survival, they are stories of thrivance. I feel quite humbled to be part of this story.

Central to the artwork is a series of sculptural signposts that represent both a tribute to past activism and a statement of ongoing cultural resilience, blending archival materials and diverse art forms with contemporary storytelling.

Some of the signposts pay homage to the legacy of Tiriki’s grandfather William ‘Bill’ Onus, a trailblazing Yorta Yorta activist and artist who founded Aboriginal Enterprises in Belgrave (only a few hundred metres from the site of the work). This vibrant business was not only a highly successful tourist destination, it also became an important and influential cultural and political hub, supporting many artists and activists who came to work there during the 1950s and ‘60s.

The installation also celebrates the life and artistic evolution of Lin Onus, Tiriki’s father, whose pioneering fusion of Aboriginal and European artistic traditions addressed both political and aesthetic themes. The work also references Lin’s organisation of the first ever forced land rights claim in February 1971, which took place in Sherbrooke Forest.

The final pole, left intentionally blank, symbolises an unwritten future, inviting reflection and a sense of possibility as well as acknowledging the next generation of the Onus family.

This work was commissioned by Yarra Ranges Council for ngurrak barring | RidgeWalk, a 39 km interconnected arts and culture trail running through the Dandenong Ranges. The project has delivered 14 km of new and improved walking tracks, pedestrian crossings, permanent sculptures, and heritage interpretation.

The walk connects townships, supports the local economy, and celebrates the creative and cultural significance of the area, that has seen some of Australia’s most significant artists drawing inspiration from the Dandenong Ranges.

ngurrak barring | RidgeWalk is jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments and Yarra Ranges Council.