Wambuul: Echoes of the Turning Tide

Created in response to the Inspired by Her brief. Exhibited as part of the 2026 Orana Every Woman Festival, Dubbo NSW. By Sophia Johnson.

This work is inspired by Pearl Gibbs, former Dubbo resident, trailblazer and Indigenous activist.

The artwork represents the Macquarie River, in Dubbo, with the soon-to-be-opened Pearl Gibbs bridge featuring prominently. Pearl is remembered for her tireless advocacy for Aboriginal rights, in particular her help in planning the Day of Mourning protest on Australia Day in 1938, and her efforts to campaign for constitutional change.

In a tribute, author Kevin Gilbert wrote: “Throughout history, wherever there has been massacre, genocide, deprivation of human right – wherever tyranny ruled – the human spirit objected, often rising to heroic proportion. One such spirit was Pearl Gibbs … she held one course: justice, humanity, honour within this country.”

Pearl Gibbs was a Wiradjuri woman and one of Australia’s most significant Aboriginal rights activists. Born near Brewarrina, she spent much of her life in Dubbo, where she became a powerful advocate for her people.

She was instrumental in organising the 1938 Day of Mourning — held on the 150th anniversary of British colonisation — one of the first major civil rights protests in Australian history. She campaigned for decades for Aboriginal people to be counted in the census, and for constitutional recognition.

The Pearl Gibbs bridge on the Macquarie River in Dubbo honours her legacy. Sophia’s textile work places that bridge at the centre of a river landscape — the Wambuul — and the women who have always held this country.

Sophia grew up in Orange and has lived in Dubbo for the past nine years. She has always been inspired by nature and enjoys getting her hands dirty. Her love of nature and gardening has led to experimentation with clay, dried floral displays and the joy of creating succulent bowls. More recently, Sophia has been experimenting with new textiles, including wool — which led directly to the creation of Wambuul: Echoes of the Turning Tide, her response to the Inspired by Her brief and a tribute to one of Dubbo’s most significant women.