Outback Revisited

Naroo Station is a beautiful and idyllic place, a working sheep station, with many historic National Trust listed buildings and is located 40kms south of Dubbo. This 10,000 acre property has been in the care of same family for 5 generations since 1840’s and has only recently been quietly opened up to small groups of interested members of the public. The traditions and history of squatter’s life can still be seen here. Painters, photographers, drawers, watercolourists, writers and musicians film makers - any creative person would be inspired by the landscape and the environment.

History

In 2005 Juli and Paul Allcorn and their three children from Sydney were the squatter family for the ABC TV series "Outback House" - a reality TV programme based on life as it was in 1861 in central NSW. The series was filmed on Naroo Station with Oxley Downs being set in 1861. The film set remains today and is the location for artists' weekends with activities to experience life as it was in 1861 and to represent it in their work.

Workshops

The organizers Julianne and Barbie, provide an outback experience for all creative people with specific interests and to combine ideas skills and art practice using 2008 perceptions and techniques to interpret create and express ideas creatively of life in 1861. Participants actually live the atmosphere of life in 19^th century. Sessions based on history of Naroo Station and the settlement of Dubbo area and life in 1861 are an integral part of the experience.

With a background in Classical Ballet & Visual Arts, Juli is currently teaching art at John Colet School, Belrose & art classes at Imagination & Creation in St Ives, Sydney, Australia. She is also a member of the Critical Art Programme at the Art gallery of NSW. Juli is a practicing artist with a number of successful exhibitions behind her with more in the developmental stage.

Also she is working with fellow artist Barbie Hooper to take artists back in time to experience a sense of history in the outback of Australia with Outback Revisited on location workshops. These workshops came about as a result of her living life as a squatter's wife in the reality ABC television series 'Outback House', set on a working sheep station in 1861. The realisation of the difficulties one had to live with i.e. the comforts of the 21st century, made a huge impression on her not only in doing the every day tasks but as an artist on how to portray life as it was.

The discipline of classical ballet training was an added bonus in how she approached the tasks of that life.

Following a career in Public Relations and Marketing Barbara has combined her family life and a busy art practice including many group and solo exhibitions in Sydney and interstate with her painting printmaking and photography. Her art work is found in private collections both in Australia and overseas US Hong Kong, Norway, Singapore and UK. Although travel within Australia and overseas has been a major inspiration for her art to date, she is now developing an interest in social justice issues for women in collaboration with Juli Allcorn through the medium of Australia’s 19th century history. Working with Juli on Outback Revisited is both a rewarding and joyful experience.