Moordidjabiny Ngort

Morrdidjabiny Ngort's is named by our proud Goreng people, from the Noongar nations.  His name means "Strong-powerful Horse" in the Noongar language and he was installed at NAIDOC WEEK 2021 by our local Goreng-Noongar community to represent and recall their history in this region.  

The lands around here are very significant in Gnowangerup History. In 1935, 190 acres nearby was purchased by Hedley & Hope Wright to house a school and a hospital for Aboriginal people, and to allow families to live together and grow gardens and stay on Country. The settlement was officially opened on 30 October, 1935. 

The Wrights were well-loved amongst the Noongar people in Gnowangerup, as they opposed the separation of Indigenous children from their parents. They believed in keeping families together and did everything they could to ensure this happened for local families. 

Mr V Hayward (RIP) lived on that property and then became the first Goreng man to own a home in the township of Gnowangerup. 

The Gnowangerup Bible Training Institute was adjacent and the tree-lined driveway is just up the road. It was the first all-Aboriginal Bible College in WA, and existed in the 1960s-1980s. 

Local Noongar people who grew up here have fond memories of their time, together with their families. Laurie and Eris Way were a local couple who spent many hours out here teaching and caring for Noongar people. Their son, John Way, our local panel beater, assisted in the initial restoration of this Tractor. 

Our local Noongar people are from the Goreng language group. The artwork on this Tractor is entirely the design of our local Goreng people and we recognise the rich Indigenous history of Gnowangerup and we pay our respect to it. 

The Williams, Knapp, Bolton and Eades families all have connections to the Bible Institute. First hand memories shared about this site come from Florence Bolton, Maxine and Albert Knapp, Patricia Gogos, and Liza Woods, the Hayward families, and the Miniter family. 

You can read more about the history of the Gnowangerup Goreng people in the Gnowangerup Aboriginal Corporation Museum, situation in the main township and open by request.  

 'Oliver' was donated by The Garnett Family, an original farming family from Gnowangerup.