Objects 1954

Catalogue / Memoir
Introduction Pictures Objects Animations

OBJECTS are individual things and installations of many things.

1949----   1950----   1951----   1952----   1953----   1954----   1955----   1956----   1957----   1958----   1959----   1960----   1961----   1962----   1963----   1964----   1965----   1966----   1967----   1968----   1969----   1970----   1971----   1972----   1973----   1974----   1975----   1976----   1977----   1978----   1979----   1980----   1981----   1982----   1983----   1984----   1985----   1986----   1987----   1988----   1989----   1990----   1991----   1992----   1993----   1994----   1995----   1996----   1997----   1998----   1999----   2000----   2001----   2002----   2003----   2004----   2005----   2006----   2007----   2008----   2009----   2010----   2011----   2012----   2013----   2014----   2015----   2016----   2017----   2018----   2019----   2020----   2021----   2022----   2023----   2024----   2025----   2026----  

Kallista

Early memories of Kallista are drawing and imagining myself an artist.

Noel_Counihan was a neighbour and close friend of my father. We visited him often, just me and my father. I watched him drawing in his studio. He made drawing look easy. I loved his easy nature and his humour. I loved his twinkly smiling eyes and soft gentle voice. He called me "a bit of a character".

Here's a drawing Noel Counihan did of my father. A study for a painting, my father said. It shows two attempts to draw the left hand holding a strap, or maybe something else. My father's hands were big, like his father's hands, and his grandfather's hands. All three men were tall and strong.

c. 1951. Drawing of Noel Roberts
Conte pastel study for a painting
Artist: Noel Counihan
Artist's collection, Sydney

Here's a photo taken at Kallista, of Tom Roberts with my father, his first grandchild. You can see how big Tom's hands were, and my father's hands.

1920s. Photo of my father
with his Grandad Tom
at Talisman, Kallista
Richard Roberts collection, Williamstown

EVENTS

Native Welfare Act 1954 (WA) Amended the Native Administration Act 1905-1947 (WA) - Natives not to travel south of the southern border line without a travel permit. Director has power to acquire and dispose of land to natives. All Aboriginal children are either wards or under the guardianship of the Commissioner of Native Affairs. Employers must have a permit to employ Aboriginal staff.

Aborigines Welfare Ordinance 1954 (ACT) - Took over from Aboriginal Protection Act 1909 (NSW) which had previously operated in the ACT. Extensive powers over lives of Aboriginal people, including power to remove children from families, to remove and Aboriginal person to a reserve, or to remove them to another state or territory.

Australasian Legal Information Institute
https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/timeline/1954.html

Written by me, Lisa Roberts/Euphausia superba (Antarctic krill), on

29/08/2026