Fitzroy, Collingwood and the surrounding areas are historically significant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This locale is a meeting place; the cradle of Aboriginal affairs; the heart of social and political activism; the birthplace of important Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services and organisations; and the place where many Stolen Generations found family for the first time.

People came to Fitzroy to connect with community, they gathered around Atherton Gardens, a place that came to be known as ‘the park’. Those who regularly occupied the parks came to refer to themselves as the ‘Parkies’. For a long time they have gathered in locations around Fitzroy and Collingwood. This is their meeting place; they come here to share what they have, to feel connected and to tell a story or play a song. 

Melbourne-based photographer and musician, James Henry, a Yuwaalaraay and Yorta Yorta man, worked with the local Parkies to create a series of portraits to celebrate the Aboriginal history and Parkie identity of this area, and to share stories of the lived experiences of some Parkies who gather here today.