Maralinga

Maralinga is a remote town in western South Australia, on the lands of the Pitjantjatjara people.

From 1956-63, Maralinga was a site of British nuclear testing, against the wishes of traditional owners who were forcibly removed from their Country for the tests. In 1985, the Traditional Owners of the area were granted native title over parts of Maralinga; shortly after, it was discovered that the area was still contaminated with radiation. Resettlement of the community was able to occur in 1995, however to this day there is concern that the area may still be radioactive.

Frances Rings' 2007 work X300 is inspired by this devastating history, and the resilience of First Nations people in the face of dispossession and destruction.