As the air sharpens and the temperature drops, walking into Burgmann’s foyer greets you with the refreshing woosh of warm air. But that’s not all there is to the college’s entry. Just to the right of the sliding doors, Yarra River, Namoi River and Sullivan’s Creek are flowing through the walls, the colours of Mount Beauty and Black Mountain are layered in the bricks, and oysters, fruits, and tubers diffuse the scent of Australia, in a new art piece created by this year’s student leadership team. The piece is divided in two parts and sits on either side of alumni Kevin Rudd’s 2008 Apology to the Stolen Generation when Prime Minister of Australia. The art piece, primarily developed under the leadership of second year student and BRA Indigenous Representative, Noah Smith, at the December 2025 leadership retreat at ANU’s Kioloa campsite by 50 student leaders acknowledging the country where each of them were formed on their home country, symbolises our connection with, and respect for Country. It recognises the land as a caregiver, and as a repository of personal history for each one of us.
Burgmann is the ANU college with the highest number of Indigenous students — and last year, that strength took on new shape when BRA ensured the creation of an Indigenous Representative role last year. Noah’s subsequent appointment marks an important step forward for First Nations representation in College leadership, and Noah brings real conviction to the work. As he puts it, the role is an opportunity to grow "a deeper level of understanding and appreciation that is missing in primary, secondary, and tertiary education."
At the Kioloa camp, Noah led the group to discuss their own home country, and what symbols and motifs could represent their connection to country. Noah’s conviction that it is difficult for a person to acknowledge someone else’s country unless you understand your own connection to country sparked excitement and energy as each leader reflected on their own relationship to the country that made up their histories. With some key teaching from Noah about how to go about representing that experience through motifs and symbols, the group then started working on the piece, built around a symbol of Sullivan’s Creek, with key signifiers of Canberra—Telstra Tower and Black Mountain.
Walking into the foyer now at Burgmann, you can feel yourself defrost in our entry. By displaying this artwork, Burgmann recognises that each Burgie comes from country that has formed and nurtured us—as we acknowledge this country Burgmann is situated on as Ngunnawal and Ngambri. Both connections—the country we are from and the country we have come to, are deeply important as we extend symbolic gestures into support for Indigenous communities and Country.
Noah retrospectively offered the following words about the purpose of the artwork:
It’s not just Indigenous people that are able to build a relationship with Country. We all live on Country. We’re all part of Country. So, we all have that responsibility back to country, and that responsibility to care for Mother. Whether that’s in the way of just picking up rubbish when you see it, or trying to have shorter showers, or using a little bit less electricity, or driving a little less, walking when you can…you can do all those little things to care for Country.
I know so many people here are going to go into the world and have really big impacts. I hope that they can take that knowledge and memory of caring for Country into the future and into the careers they might have. I hope they think about what they can do in their roles to better country and continue to care for country. As well as the alumni and guests, when they come through the college, I hope they think about that and reflect on what role they can play to help look after country.
We are very proud of our new piece of home grown art, significant to all of us who live at Burgmann now, and hope that when we are able to share that experience with those of you who can make it back to the College in person, will feel its significance and connection too.
Article written by 2026 Communications Intern, Celia Watson
