Every Note Tells a Story
Every currency note tells a story. These reimagined Australian notes show that currency can be more than transactional, it can recognise and celebrate.
Storytelling
Project Overview
Timeline: February, 2025
My Role: Research, Concept development, Photo editing, Layout
Tools: Photoshop, Illustrator, Perplexity
This project reimagines Australian currency notes as a celebration of First Nations heritage, blending utility, creativity, and storytelling to honour 65,000+ years of Indigenous culture. Designed for all Australian Dollar users, these notes reflect national heritage and pride while opening conversations and inviting the exchange of stories across cultures.
The main challenge was translating oral traditions passed down through generations into symbolic visual representations that honour Aboriginal Dreamtime stories with cultural authenticity. As the denominations progress, so does the complexity of symbolism:
$5 Note – Flora & Foundational Stories featuring the Rainbow Serpent (creator of waterways and life) with the Wattle flower, Australia's national floral emblem
$10 Note – Fauna & Songlines featuring Emu in the Sky constellation (mapping Country and creation) with Kangaroo rendered in traditional X-ray art style
$50 Note – Bush Life & Traditional fire ecology practices featuring the Superb Lyrebird and Banksia flower, honoring millennia of sustainable land management
The Notes, Front and Back:
