St Patrick’s College for Girls, Campbelltown, NSW
‘Spirit Girl’ Bronze Sculpture, 2022
Bronze sculpture representing the spirit of the school community, celebrating 180 years of independent catholic education to enrich and empower students.
Sculpture Narrative
Figurehead – Spirit Girl is a representative for the girls of St Patrick’s College, as she stands tall, looking to the future - leading the way forward.
Kurrajong Tree – Native tree represents growth and maturity, with fruits and flowers flourishing from a holistic education. Inspired from St Patrick’s School House (now known as Quondong Cottage), built 1840 by the local Irish Catholic community, the first independent Catholic school in Australia. A Kurrajong tree stood outside the original school (mistaken for Quondong tree).
Lyrebird Feathers – Supporting the outstretched hands. The Lyrebird is a traditional totem for the D’harawal people. Yandel’ora, The Land of Peace between Peoples, a D’harawal Dreaming; the Lyrebird seeks the truth and speaks all languages. Drawing line sketches of the Lyrebird, it quickly came to the movement of the figurehead.
The Flame - Held in the left hand. Representing ‘The Lord is my Light’ as a reminder that Christ is the centre of life at the College.
The Waratah - Held in the right hand. Australian native flower and NSW floral emblem. The botanical name Telopea meaning “seen from a far”, a beacon in the Australian bush.
The Base – Represents the hill the school is built on with the tree’s roots drawing from Benedictine Values – Social Justice, one hand supporting another (left); ‘Listen with the ear of your heart’, heart and ear together (right); The open Bible with school motto, ‘The Lord is My Light” (bottom centre).
