TitlePainting depicting Mullet Run at La Perouse, 1990Date1990About this objectJeannette Timbery (1941-2022) was an artist from the Wallangang clan and daughter of boomerang maker and thrower Joe Timbery (Snr). Having lived her entire life at La Perouse, Jeannette’s works often depict the fauna, flora and life associated with her country and people.
In this painting, Jeannette captures a moment from Mullet Run in La Perouse, a fishing tradition that has been practiced for generations by coastal Sydney people as a way to source food, especially during times when there was no work. Today, this annual event plays an important role in passing on knowledge and skills, as well as creating meaningful connections within the Aboriginal community.
Local Aboriginal people use seasonal indicators such as the flowering of the Sydney Golden Wattle to predict the best times to fish and gather mullet. Fishing licences were denied to Aboriginal fishers in the 1980s but were reintroduced by NSW government in 2011, allowing fishing for cultural practices.
The painting is an excellent example of the artist’s reflection on traditional cultural practices around Botany Bay and the deep connection between the Dharawal people and the ocean. Object No.2024.1Physical descriptionThe painting vividly portrays a scene from the Mullet Run, with a large fishing net at its centre, surrounded by four groups of fishermen in boats. Two groups are shown pulling the net, brimming with a variety of sea creatures, towards the shore. A boat and two paddles rest on the shore. The composition is framed by a border featuring patterns formed by black, red and yellow dots. CreatorTimbery, JeannetteInscriptions & marksJeannette Timbery/La Perouse 1990' in black paint on the bottom right DimensionsH: 61cm
W: 91cmPlace madeLa PerouseMaterialAcrylic on canvasSourceLa Perouse MuseumProvenance Unknown year - Purchased by Denise Russell at Jervis Bay Maritime Museum & Gallery;
16 August 2024 - Donated to La Perouse Museum by Denise Russell.
See D05574210 for correspondence with Denise RussellCredit lineGift of Denise Russell, 2024Acquisition date16 August 2024SubjectsArt, Aboriginal AustralianAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoplesPeople (Detailed entries)Timbery, JeannetteOrganisations (Detailed entries)La Perouse Museum (La Perouse, N.S.W.)CategoryMuseum | First NationsThemesFirst Nations
Timbery, Jeannette, Painting depicting Mullet Run at La Perouse, 1990 (1990). Randwick City Council, accessed 19/01/2026, https://ourstory.randwick.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/8618
