Once Known
The Carrolup artworks were created on Noongar Boodja by Aboriginal children at the Carrolup School, located within the Carrolup Native Settlement in Western Australia during the 1940s. The children were forcibly removed from their families under the provisions of the 1905 Aborigines Act and placed at institutions such as Carrolup as part of government assimilation policies.
Despite these circumstances and the conditions at the Settlement, some of the children produced remarkable drawings under the guidance of their teachers, Noel and Lily White. The artworks gained widespread recognition through exhibitions across Australia and around the world.
A selection of the Carrolup artworks made their way to the United States and were rediscovered by chance at Colgate University, New York, in 2004. This collection of 127 artworks is known as the Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artworks and comprises some of the works featured in this exhibition.
Exhibition Details
Old Perth Boys’ School
139 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Open to the public Mon, Tues, Thu and Fri 11am – 4pm
Closed Wed and weekends
Free entry
Exhibition open from 1 April – 15 October 2026
Albany Entertainment Centre
2 Toll Pl, Albany
Open to the public Mon to Fri 10am – 5pm
Free entry
Exhibition Opening Wed 21 October |
Exhibition open from 22 October – 10 December
While hundreds of children were detained at Carrolup, only 17 artists have been attributed to works in the collection. Once Known reminds us that each child had a name, a family and a story. These artworks stand as a testament to the creativity and resilience of the Carrolup children, offering a glimpse into their enduring connection to Country.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware the exhibition and catalogue contains images, voices and names of people who have died. It also contains information that might be confronting and may cause distress.
The Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artworks were generously donated for educational and research purposes by Colgate University, New York, USA to the ºìÌÒÊÓƵ Art Collection, 2013.
Header Image: Once Known exhibition at 139 St Georges Terrace. Photo by Sharon Baker.
