Nest of the Whistling Kite
Maree Kelly

Maree is a landscape painter from Gunnedah in north-western NSW. She lives on a farming property south of Gunnedah near the village of Curlewis. She works from her studio at the family farm on a rocky hillside at the end of Long Mountain with a panoramic view of the plains.

Passionate about the environment, her work draws on her knowledge and experience in both fields, creating artworks that reflect her deep connection and understanding of the landscape.

The word for ‘nest’ or home in the local Gamilaraay language is Walaay, which was a close match to the last part of the property name. The letter ‘p’ is not used in the Gamilaraay language, and it would most likely be a word beginning with ‘b’ instead. Biya is the word for Whistling Kite, so combining the two words Biya Walaay is where ‘Piyawoola’ most likely originated I like to think – Nest or Home of the Whistling Kite in Gamilaraay.