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10 FEBRUARY 2026
Doolo’s songline has taken him far and wide – from 32 Acres (Erambie Aboriginal Mission) near Cowra, to Sydney’s inner west, Grafton in the Northern Rivers region and eventually Long Bay Correctional Complex at Malabar. Along that path, he’s stood in more than a few courtrooms, quietly waiting in the dock for his sentence.
Next time he walks into a courthouse, it won’t be as a defendant. It will be as an artist.
His work now hangs on the walls of the Downing Centre – the most significant court complex in NSW. For a man who once associated courts with punishment and prison time, the transformation is profound.
“I was given this opportunity and there was no stigma,” Doolo* said.
“None of that ‘oh, he’s an inmate’. It was an opportunity to show what I’ve got out of the prison system; I am a better man and have my art. It has given me a different purpose.”
For Doolo, art has been more than a creative outlet – it’s been a lifeline.
“I’ve always painted when I’ve been in custody, but when I got out, I wouldn’t do it. I didn’t realise I had talent,” he said.
“My parents knew I was a good artist, so when they passed away, I picked up the paintbrush again and I knew this was what I wanted to do. I’m proud of myself. I’ve kept that promise I made after my parents passed, but I am doing it for me. I’m becoming an Aboriginal Elder, I have to step up. Art has been my therapy and a guidance that connects me back to my culture. These are the stories of my ancestors. My paintings honour our past.”
Flooding at the Downing Centre in June 2025 led to remediation works and upgrades to modernise public areas. As part of this, the Department of Communities and Justice purchased Aboriginal artworks created by inmates for $12,000 through the Boom Gate Gallery – a public-facing gallery at Long Bay Correctional Complex that showcases and sells inmate art. The group purchase is among the gallery’s most significant acquisitions of Aboriginal art and highlights positive ways inmates can use their time in custody.
Arts and Gallery Officer Damian Moss, who manages the Boom Gate Gallery, said art can be transformative for inmates.
“Making art while in custody can be calming in an otherwise stressful environment,” he said.
“Creating art is particularly important for Aboriginal inmates. It provides an avenue for them to connect with other Aboriginal inmates, to make art together and to delve deeper into their cultural backgrounds.”
Long Bay Forensic Psychologist Claire Rodger sees the ripple effects.
“When Doolo sits and paints, other Aboriginal inmates notice what he’s doing and come and sit around him and talk about what he’s doing. Soon, they find themselves picking up a paintbrush, too,” she said.
“The murals they paint are telling a story. This is a way for contemporary inmates in custody to gain a connection with the ancient culture of the past. It’s how they connect to mob.”
Doolo, a proud Wiradjuri man, has contributed artworks for signage around Long Bay, including the Yarning Circle, and created pieces for signage in the Downing Centre basement and holding cells.
“I am proud that I am the first Aboriginal inmate in the whole state to do that,” he said of his work at Long Bay.
“It’s about setting a precedent for the next lot of Aboriginal guys coming through.”
His Downing Centre artwork carries a different weight.
“I know lawyers and judges will see my art on the signs at the Downing Centre, but so will the inmates,” he said.
“I am showing them how to respect and represent the Aboriginal community.”
*Name changed
