Tugulawa to Humbug Reach by Debra Hood

Tugulawa (tuh-goo-la-wa) is an indigenous word, meaning ‘place of the heart’. It is believed to refer to the heart shaped bend in the Brisbane River surrounding our suburb or maybe the heart shaped parcel of land that makes up Bulimba and Balmoral.

This painting extends from Tugulawa on the right, through to Humbug Reach in the Brisbane River near New Farm Park and East Brisbane.

On the left side, there are 5 homes that were demolished or removed amid disputation to make way for the widening of Wynnum Rd in 2018. A traffic signal box (TSB) Debra painted and named “Heritage Mourning” sits near these houses. Completed in 2016, Debra was commenting on the destruction of the traditional essence of our inner city homes and so she painted the large Moreton Bay fig trees with black lace bands around their limbs, symbolising their selection for imminent destruction. Prophetically, 2 years later the view from this TSB was total annihilation of huge Mowbray Park trees and the Queenslanders that had graced Wynnum Rd for 100 years.