Through children's eyes | National Museum of Australia

Skip to content

The Museum has a new ticketing system. Read our FAQs

Children from Cooktown State School grow up surrounded by stories about Cook’s time at Waalumbaal Birri. In 2019, students from years 3 to 5 created a series of artworks that show how they see the events that took place there.

All the works were acquired by the National Museum. Some are on show in the exhibition.

Prints

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a figure on the right and a ship on the left, with the sun in the upper rifht corner. Annotated in pencil 'Izayah 2/12/19'. - click to view larger image — Warrior by Izayah

Print, black ink in white paper, depicting a turtle. Annotated in pencil 'TASIA DOUGHBOY 2/12/19'. - click to view larger image — Turtle by Tasia

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a figure with a tree to the left. - click to view larger image — Captain Cook by Payton

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a boat, with a turtle, fish, and jellyfish in the water below. Annotated in pencil 'Charlese 2/2/19'. - click to view larger image — The Ship by Chalese

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting the decorated head and torso of a figure, with leaves to the right and cloud above. Annotated in pencil 'Sarah 2/12/19'. - click to view larger image — Broken Spear by Sarah

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a river. Annotated in pencil 'Georgia'. - click to view larger image — The Endeavour River by Georgia

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a ship on the water. Annotated in pencil 'Clay'. - click to view larger image — Ship on the Water by Clay

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a turtle. Annotated in pencil 'Anishma'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Arishma

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a boat on water in the foreground and the shoreline in the background. Annotated in pencil 'Blaine McLean 2/12/19'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Blaine

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting ocean creatures. Annotated in pencil 'Carmen' - click to view larger image — Untitled by Carmen

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting water between two headlands with stars above. Annotated in pencil 'Carmen'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Carmen

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting nine figures. Annotated in pencil 'Ella'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Ella

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a sailing ship. Annotated in pencil 'Georgia'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Georgia

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a sailing boat. Annotated in pencil 'Izayah'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Izayah

Print, black ink on white paoer, depicting a boat on water and figures on the shore. Annotated in pencil 'Jack'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Jack

Print, black ink on white paper, depicting a compass, a whale, and Australia (printed in reverse?). Annotated in pencil 'Malachi'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Malachi

Print, black ink on white oaoer, depicting the outline of a hand. Annotated in pencil 'Xania'. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Xania

Paintings

Painting on aquabord, depicting figures and campfires on a yellow shoreline either side of a blue river. Green landscape and blue sky appear across the top of the painting. - click to view larger image — Living on the River by Carmen

Painting on aquabord, depicting a figure with a bue shirt and brown trousers, standing on ground that is yellow and red, with orange peaks in the background and blue streaks in the sky. - click to view larger image — Captain Cook by Tristine

Painting on cotton canvas board, depicting a figure with a blue shirt and brown trousers, a blue background, and a yellow sun in the tip right corner. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Tristine

Painting on aquabord depicting a ship with figures aboard, with land and a sun to the left. - click to view larger image — The Boat by Sheldon

Painting on aquabord depicting a ship on still water with a headland to the left. Two figures are painted in gold on the ship's deck; one holds a gun. - click to view larger image — Captain Cook’s Ship by Blaine

Painting on aquabord, predominantly orange-red with some blue and green. - click to view larger image — Basket by Dayqwarn

Painting on aquabord, depicting a boat and ocean on the lower half and a yellow shoreline with blue sky on the upper half. Trees and figures are painted in the upper left corner and a yellow mountain is painted in the upper right corner. - click to view larger image — Hiding by Xania

Painting on aquabord, depicting a tree against a purple background and orange sky. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Izayah

Painting on cotton canvas board, depicting a shoreline against a blue ocean a lighter blue sky and a yellow sun in the top left corner. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Izayah

Painting and drawing on aquabord, depicting the head and shoulders of a person. 'SD' appears in the upper right corner. - click to view larger image — James Cook by Sarah

Painting on aquabord, depicting two green turtles emerging from blue water onto yellow sand. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Tasia

Painting on aquabord, depicting a ship on blue water with green hills and blue sky in the background. Overlaid with red, blue, and white splatters. - click to view larger image — Untitled by Kyshaliyah

Workshop

Cooktown State School art workshop 02:04

Highlights from the Cooktown State School Endeavour 250 art workshop, with Guugu Yimidhirr Elder Alberta Hornsby, factilitator Dr Naomi Zouwer and National Museum curator Dr Lily Withycombe. There is no sound on this video.

Illuminated contact stories

Revising the script

Aboriginal language game

9 places up the coast

Top