Bundjalung artist Oral Roberts has another feather in his hat, with his artwork being chosen to adorn a new overpass as part of the Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade.

The Lismore-born artist said he can’t talk about what the artwork will be, because the highway hasn’t yet opened.

“It’s a bit of a secret,” Oral said. “I’m not supposed to talk about it.”

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Oral has been a practicing artist for 46 years. In fact, he’s just redone the mural on top of the Nimbin hall.

“I’ve been up and down the ladder a lot doing it,” he laughed. 

Oral was born on the Cubawee Mission near Lismore in 1960. 

Oral’s parents moved from Cubawee to Goonellabah where they lived the rest of their lives. His father is Widjabal and his mother Minanjali/Bundjalung.

While Cubawee had the first Aboriginal school on the North Coast, Oral said he never had the opportunity to learn the local Aboriginal language, because when he was growing up, speaking anything other than English was forbidden.

Now living in Ocean Shores, Oral regularly visits Nimbin and Lismore to visit family and friends.

Oral said he makes art every day.

“I get into everything – sculpting, ceramics, painting, anything” he said. “I can’t stop – it’s like a disease or something and I’ve gotta go with it – it’s crazy.”

The love affair with art started when Oral started tattooing at the age of 14.

“I did my first tattoo on my leg – it was a swallow and I haven’t stopped since,” he said. “Now, I tattoo everyone else.”

As well as making art every day, Oral teaches young Koori kids to paint.

“A lot of them have got nothing else to do in Lismore and they do well with the painting,” he said. 

Oral’s own artworks reflect his close connection to the Bundjalung land and culture. His painting expresses his strong connection to the spirit and the bush, where many of the bird species and animals he paints are native.

Pacific Highway Aboriginal Art Trail

Oral was one of 10 locally connected artists to feature in the Pacific Highway’s Aboriginal art trail spanning the new highway route.

Transport for NSW Director North Region, Anna Zycki, said the artists will design work that will appear on nine bridge safety screens and four rest areas located along the 155-kilometre route once it opens fully to traffic in 2020.

“Aboriginal artists and creative thinkers with a connection to the local Gumbaynggirr, Yaegl and Bundjalung communities are creating work depicting stories from their narratives,” Ms Zycki said.

“Project facilitator Balarindji’s co-design process directly involves the local Aboriginal community in the process and places local Elders and knowledge holders at the centre of decision-making.”

Gumbaynggirr community artists chosen are Daniel Dootson, Debbie Taylor and Reece Flanders.

Yaegl community artists chosen are Aneika Kapeen, Frances Belle Parker, Gilbert Laurie and the late Jessica Birk.

The Bundjalung community is represented by Marcus Ferguson, Oral Roberts and Sheldon Harrington.

The NSW Government is supporting the Woolgoolga to Ballina Aboriginal art trail as part of its Beyond the Pavement design policy, which seeks to improve journeys and make rest areas more attractive to stop and relax.

Ms Zycki said the artwork also helps reduce vandalism and graffiti, improves the tourist experience and – most importantly – provides a connection to the deep Aboriginal history and culture of the region.

“The NSW Government is justly proud of its Aboriginal engagement on the Pacific Highway upgrade, where about seven per cent of the workforce identify as Aboriginal,” Ms Zycki said.

“More than one-third of those identify with the local Aboriginal nations of Gumbaynggir, Yaegl and Bundjalung.”

The Pacific Highway already features similar artwork at Banora Point and Nambucca Service Centre as well as the Aboriginal-themed design at the Ballina Interchange.