Volvo Group Australia was searching for a unique way of marking NAIDOC Week this year. Through a local operator and a talented artist, it soon produced a bus passengers may never forget.
Earlier this year, the team at Volvo Bus were brainstorming ways to best celebrate NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week.
Volvo Bus has been heavily focused on Volvo Group Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) that encompasses brands such as Volvo Trucks and Buses, Mack Trucks and UD Trucks, and wanted to do something special to respect Australia’s Traditional Custodians. To continue working to educate the bus community on Indigenous Australian history and recognise the traditional owners, Volvo Bus was interested in finding its own way of paying its respects during NAIDOC Week. Then it had a masterpiece of an idea.
“For the week we wanted to do something interesting to showcase to our staff and partners that we are looking to take a prominent role in celebrating the occasion,” Volvo Bus Australia general manager Mitchell Peden told ABC.
“We’ve been looking to further engage with First Nations-based businesses and we found the ideal opportunity.”
A few months ago, Volvo Group Australia, as part of its RAP program, commissioned Queensland-based Goreng Goreng artist Jacob Sarra to produce an untitled art piece that celebrates the Indigenous culture of the local Queensland area. To add a special touch to the occasion, Sarra headed into Volvo Group Australia’s head office in Wacol, Queensland to complete his artwork.
After Volvo Group Australia recently submitted its ‘Reflect’ RAP commitment earlier this year, Peden says having Sarra complete the piece live at Volvo Group Australia’s headquarters became a special experience.
“It was excellent from an educational perspective and we’re so pleased at how it turned out,” Peden says.
“He came in and painted live so everyone could see him do it, but he also talked through his artwork to help us understand more about his culture.”
It took 25 hours for Sarra to complete the artwork. Initially it was designed to become a painting that would hang in Volvo Group Australia headquarters as a reminder of the Group’s vision for reconciliation. But it soon became much more than an acknowledgement of the traditional custodians of the country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community.
When NAIDOC Week began to approach, Volvo asked Sarra if it could explore the idea of having the artwork imprinted on the outside of a partner’s bus. After getting Sarra’s approval, Volvo quickly found a willing participant, Sunstate Charters.
Peden says it was an exciting moment when Volvo Group Australia found a local partner who was keen to show the high-profile piece on one of its buses.
“It was great to link with another community-caring business for this,” Peden says.
“Sunstate Charters are great supporters of community programs, so it’s great they also chose to take part in our action plan and celebrate NAIDOC Week with us.
“We share many core values with Sunstate Charters, such as safety, quality and a commitment to customer success, so it made this collaboration all the more special.”
RELATED ARTICLE: Complete service and support when going electric with Volvo
 |
The bus was officially unveiled at the Volvo Group’s Wacol headquarters on Thursday July 7, as Volvo staff and partners attended to see the untitled piece.
When Sunstate Charters’ general manager Lisa Ritchie first heard about the idea for the special bus design, she leapt at the opportunity to celebrate NAIDOC Week in a unique way. The Pinkenba-based charter operator has been a constant supporter of embracing all cultures while celebrating the local Queensland community. For Ritchie, this chance was just an extension of its previous work.
“Sunstate Charters was proud and honoured to be given the opportunity to join with Volvo to mark this important occasion in acknowledging First Nation history and cultures,” Ritchie says.
Sunstate Charter’s fleet now has a special bus in its ranks. Sarra’s artwork is proudly displayed on the outside of the Volvo B8R vehicle as it completes school, tourism and charter services daily.
Peden says he is expecting Sunstate Charters to have customers requesting the particular bus to be used on particular charter services, such is the appeal of the vehicle’s exterior.
“It’s such a compelling bus with a fantastic visual,” Peden says.
“It’ll have a high presence on the roads and I’m sure it will further enhance Sunstate’s already high-quality business and community profile.
“They’re so excited to take the coach and showcase it in south-east Queensland.”
The artwork will continue to live on past NAIDOC week, both in the Volvo Group’s Australian headquarters and on Sunstate Charter’s bus. Peden says Volvo Bus’s unique NAIDOC Week celebrations for 2022 was certainly a step in the right direction.
The Volvo Bus Australia general manager says continual involvement with First Nations people in the Wacol area is pivotal for the company to increase its commitment to the local community.
“We’re so pleased that Jacob and his family were happy with the outcome and how we used the artwork in the wider community as a moving showcase,” Peden says.
“Everyone is so happy with how it’s all worked out.”
For Peden, Sarra’s artwork and the involvement of Sunstate Charters was a highlight for Volvo’s 2022 NAIDOC Week celebrations. And he is adamant he won’t let Volvo’s work in respecting Indigenous Australian culture stop there. Following Sarra’s piece, Peden says Volvo Group Australia will continue to push reconciliation under its RAP commitment.
He’s confident that the company will use the NAIDOC Week event as another way of furthering its respect for First Nations people.
“This year we had a large staff contingent take part – every time we do something like this, we learn a bit more about how to be more respectful and considerate to the challenges facing Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities,” Peden says.
“It’s been a good exercise for both business and community, and we’ll find more opportunities to present to First Nations people as our business continues to evolve.
“It’s been great to have partners taking part in our action plan. We have a long way to go but we are so glad to be making progress in our reconciliation journey and solidifying what we want to stand for as a company in Australia.”