In October 2004, the Bourke Arts Council ran a ‘creative camp’ week in Bourke. Various artists were invited to attend and run workshops in their chosen field. The Culturally Creative Stormwater Program was able to support a shadow puppetry workshop and in return, asked to be able to present educational material and set the theme.

We were fortunate to have Bronwyn Fullerton attend the creative camp and instruct the students in shadow puppet making. Students were asked to make puppets based on animals that might use the river. They were then asked to create puppet like ‘pollutants and also a large ‘Darling River’ set. A script was written and the students got to perform their show for an enthusiastic audience at the end of the week.

The script and photo’s of some of the puppets are included here;


The River (narrated)

A long long time ago, in a land far, far away…..well perhaps not that long ago and maybe not that far away, there was a land. A beautiful land, full of life. The birds of the air (enter birds) the animals of the land (enter animals) and flowing through the land there was a river full of the creatures of the water. (enter creatures)Birds…..Fish…..And animals of all kind…..all living in harmony


After a very long time, a new creature came to live in this land. This creature brought with him the promise of a new exciting future and all the animals were very interested to see how they may work together. (enter man). This new creature, man, came to the river but did not talk to the animals or birds and did not consult the fish or creatures of the water.

Man came to treat the land and water with contempt, and regarded the river as a rubbish dump where he could discard his litter. He threw away his cigarette buts (enter cigarette butts), his drink cans (enter drink cans) and bottles (enter bottles). Poisons were discarded (enter poisons) and soon the river got very crowded as well as growing murkier and murkier. (enter fish bones)

The birds left the air (exit birds), the animals retreated from the river banks (exit animals) and soon all that was left was man and his rubbish.

Alone with a land of his own creation.

In the very near future, in a land very very close, there will be a wasteland. A dire landscape that has been polluted to the point of extinction and where much of the life has been either killed or driven out. No birds inhabit the air, no fish swim in the river and no animals are visible on the landscape.

A new creature will come to live in this land. (enter man) this creature will bring with him the promise pf a new exciting future and a real desire to do good. This creature, man, will set about taking the poisons and pollutants, (exit p&p), the cans (exit cans), the bottles (exit bottles), and litter, (exit litter) from the landscape

Before long, slowly at first, the birds may return (enter birds) then perhaps the animals (enter animals) and even the fish and creatures of the water (exit bones, enter water creatures). But this time, they will live alongside man, in a world that has balance, and beauty, life and love, and above all….a future.