Lilardia is a 12 metre wide and 9 metre high mural honouring Aunty Margaret (Lilardia) Tucker MBE and her dedication to creating a more equal and understanding society.
It is located in Lilardia Park in Footscray, City of Maribyrnong on Wurundjeri country. Lilardia is Aunty Marge’s traditional name, meaning "water flower". The park was named for Aunty Marge in 2023.
The mural was produced by Grace Dlabik from BE. ONE CREATIVE and brought to life by an all-women Indigenous creative team, led by Wiradjuri artist, Jessi Rebel, alongside Kee'ahn Bindol, Kiri Wicks and Emma Ismawi.
The artistic team worked closely with Aunty Marge’s family.
Aunty Marge was a survivor of the Stolen Generations - one of thousands of Aboriginal children removed from the care of their parents through government policies. At age 13, she was taken from her mother and placed in the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls.
Aunty Marge’s experiences in the home and as a domestic servant led her to advocate for First Nations rights from the 1930s. She was instrumental in founding the Australian Aborigines’ League to lobby state and federal governments on behalf of Aboriginal people.
Her many achievements also included becoming the first woman on the Victorian Aboriginal Welfare Board in 1964. In 1967, she became a member of the Federal Council of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders which played a major role in obtaining equal voting rights for Aboriginal people through the Referendum.
In 1968 she was appointed to the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee and helped create the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service in 1973.
The Victorian Women’s Public Art Program is funded by the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund and run in partnership with McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery. McClelland supports contemporary artists to develop, create and present their work, and manages a range of programs to commission artwork.
Read more about Aunty Marge’s story: Aunty Margaret (Lilardia) Tucker MBE | vic.gov.au