StoryWalk - Sky Country

As you make your way along the StoryWalk, you’ll discover the pages of a picture book displayed outdoors, with prompts and questions along the way to encourage children to look closely, wonder, talk and share their ideas.

Take your time, explore together and enjoy the story!

What is a StoryWalk?

A StoryWalk is an interactive reading experience that combines books, movement and the outdoors.

Instead of reading a book from beginning to end in one place, the pages are displayed along a walking route. Children and families can move from page to page, reading the story as they explore their surroundings.

StoryWalks are a wonderful way to encourage early literacy, language, imagination and connection, while making reading a fun experience for the whole family.

Introducing Sky Country

A journey through Country, culture and the night sky.

This StoryWalk features Sky Country, written and illustrated by Tasmanian Aboriginal author and artist Aunty Patsy Cameron and illustrator Lisa Kennedy.

Through beautiful storytelling and imagery, Sky Country invites children to look up at the night sky and discover the stories, knowledge and connections held within it.

The story provides an opportunity for children and families to wonder, ask questions and talk together as they explore the pages of the book.

As you walk, keep an eye out for the questions and prompts throughout the StoryWalk. There are no right or wrong answers — they are simply invitations to pause, notice and share what you think.

StoryWalk

Sky Country

Click through the pages of the book below. open book

Sky Country

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Meet the author & illustrator

Author

Aunty Patsy Cameron

Dr Aunty Patsy Cameron, AO (March 1947- September 2026) was an Aboriginal Elder, Shell Stringer, Author, Historian and Educator as well as the mother of 4 proud children and 9 grandchildren. She received an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2017 for distinguished services to Indigenous communities in Tasmania.

Read more about Aunty Patsy Cameron

Illustrator

Lisa Kennedy

Lisa is a proud Pairrebeene/Trawlwoolway woman living near Wilsons Promontory on the other side of the Bass Strait. Lisa traces her ancestry through her father to her ancestral grandmother, Woretemoeteyenner, eldest daughter of Mannalargenna.

Read more about Lisa Kennedy

Acknowledging Aunty Patsy Cameron and Lisa Kennedy

Dr Aunty Patsy Cameron, AO (March 1947- September 2026) was an Aboriginal Elder, Shell Stringer, Author, Historian and Educator as well as the mother of 4 proud children and 9 grandchildren. She received an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2017 for distinguished services to Indigenous communities in Tasmania.

Aunty Patsy grew up on Flinders Island in the Bass Strait with many of her extended Tasmanian Aboriginal family. She loved the outdoors and spent her childhood with her siblings and cousins exploring the coastal areas near her home, learning the precious cultural practices of her ancestors. Her Aboriginal heritage is traced through 4 ancestral grandmothers, 3 from the north east (Coastal Plains) language nation and 1 from the east coast (Oyster Bay) language nation.

Aunty Patsy was well known in Launceston due to her many years in Aboriginal education at the University of Tasmania, her work alongside QVMAG on the First Tasmanians Exhibition, her ongoing engagement and support of many initiatives such as Tasmanian Leaders and her numerous Gorge walks with the public, where she shared her knowledge of the Aboriginal landscape, stories of the area and living cultural practice. Her knowledge sharing remains on the story boards that are featured along the pathways at the Gorge and in the information centre.

Aunty Patsy has had 5 books published, including 3 children’s books: Sea Country and Sky Country (both illustrated by Lisa Kennedy) and In the Kelp Forest (co-authored with Reena Balding and illustrated by Belinda Casey).

Lisa is a proud Pairrebeene/Trawlwoolway woman living near Wilsons Promontory on the other side of the Bass Strait. Lisa traces her ancestry through her father to her ancestral grandmother, Woretemoeteyenner, eldest daughter of Mannalargenna.

Growing up, on the suburban fringe, Lisa loved reading books about nature and being outdoors. She developed a strong connection to the waterways, rocks, animals and birds, listening to their sounds and the stories they told.

Wanting to pass this on to her first child, Lisa would take him to the Maribynong river gorge at dusk. Sitting high on a rocky ledge together they woud listen to the waterbirds and white cockatoo roosting in the trees which watching the sky turn pink and orange and waiting for the stars to appear.

Following a very short stint studying archaeology and not able to continue, Lisa’s art explored journeys through Deep Time following the Maribyong river south across the Bassian Plain to her ancestral Country. While work as a community artist used art and story with young people to strengthen cultural identity and belonging.

More recently Lisa illustrated Welcome to Country with Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin and Respect with Aunty Faye Muir. Her first with Aunty Patsy was Sea Country followed by Sky Country.

Sky Country was an exciting collaboration between Aunty Patsy and Lisa. Aunty Patsy guided the story and Lisa captured it in layers of beautiful imagery. They walked their Country – up into the highest ranges and across the coastal plains to the sea. Lisa describes the experience of illustrating Sky Country as a deeply fulfilling spiritual experience: “I felt blessed to have such a profound learning experience from the most beautiful cultural custodian in Aunty Patsy”.

Aunty Patsy had a deep passion for education and for sharing our unique Tasmanian Aboriginal stories in particular. She was delighted to hear that Story Walk would be featuring Sky Country for children’s week 2026.

Sadly, Aunty Patsy Cameron passed away in September 2026. She will be deeply missed by many. Aunty Patsy would want us to “keep the fire burning”- to be curious learners of our stories and explorers of our Tasmanian landscape. We hope you enjoy the Sky Country story walk experience.