OVER two months in 2001, John Mercieca made a carving in the wood window frame of a Williamstown store symbolising Aboriginal reconciliation.
Now the building at 153 Nelson Place is for sale, but Mr Mercieca will retain the rights to the window frame if the shopfront is ever altered.
A plaque recently placed on the carving states that the sculpture, completed eight years before then-prime minister Kevin Rudd gave his historic apology, was inspired by local support for Aboriginal reconciliation.
Mr Mercieca, who has three indigenous foster children, said his carving showed creatures gravitating towards the sound of a didgeridoo and the ‘Wanjana’.
“The Wanjana is one of the Aboriginal words for a spiritual being or a god-like figure,” he said.
“It’s written into the contract [of sale] that if it’s ever removed or the shopfront’s altered, it’s my property and it comes back to me, with the view of putting it somewhere else in the shire of Hobsons Bay.”
Building owner Steve Bilston said the carving had an unusual start.
“I had a little bit of rot in the corner of the window frame.
“I said, ‘John, can you turn that little bit of rot into a goanna?’.
“So he put the goanna in and then he did a little bit more and a little bit more and it just grew.
“He is very talented to get such a deep relief out of shallow wood.”
