Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket
Sandra Aitken

In 2025 the Koorie Heritage Trust celebrates its 40th Anniversary, marking the occasion with Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket – a significant weaving commission by Sandra Aitken, Gilgar Gunditj Elder and niece of the late Gunditjmara Elder and master weaver Aunty Connie Hart.

Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket was created in honour of Aunty Connie Hart, highlighting her enduring cultural legacy and the continuation of weaving as a vital First Peoples practice in South-Eastern Australia and beyond. Aunty Connie Hart was foundational in the survival of weaving practices in South East Australia and Sandra Aitken continues her legacy through the cultural practice of weaving.

Stitched together with natural fibre (Puunyort) sourced from Gilgar Gunditj Country, the work powerfully represents the strength, resilience, and intergenerational transmission of cultural knowledge through fibre work.

As part of Gilgar Gunditj Eel Basket, we are proud to have commissioned a special film documenting the creation of this significant work.

Featuring Sandra Aitken on Gunditj Mirring Country, and filmed by Gatherer Media, the work offers audiences an intimate insight into Sandra’s process and the deep cultural connections woven into her practice. The film can be viewed alongside the eel basket within the exhibition space.

The film will also be accessioned into the KHT’s Oral History Collection. This Collection, which holds more than 2,000 audio and visual recordings, is an important repository containing the voices and stories of the First Peoples of South-Eastern Australia. By commissioning and collecting such films, we can ensure that cultural knowledge, traditions, and legacies are safeguarded for future generations.

Click below to access the free exhibition room sheet: