Visitors can now view the award-winning wearable art gown On the Sheep’s Back: A Tribute in Thread, designed by Elaine Booth, with award-winning narrative by Roxburgh artist Vicki Booth-Elliott.
Inspired by the life of Owaka Anzac soldier Jesse Morris, the piece connects local history with a broader rural story, drawing on Mr Morris’s background as a farmer in the Owaka Valley and the central role of wool in New Zealand and Australian life.
Made entirely from natural fibres, the garment reflects what the artists described as "a creation from memory, sacrifice and a deep connection to the land", while visual elements and embellishments trace a story that landed the gown the 2025 O’Connor Richmond Narrative Award.
Wool forms the foundation of the design, acknowledging the history of both British colonies riding "on the sheep’s back".
The tough, natural material symbolises the resilience and hard-working lives of rural communities, including Mr Morris’s own before the war changed everything.
Developed from family history research, the dress is "carried as much as worn" as both an artwork and a storytelling piece.
Both visitors and the community are invited to view this fusion of art, craft and personal history in the district that ultimately inspired it.
