The Leviathan was one of the largest wooden cargo boats ever built in Mandurah.

RT Kids were invited to participate in the commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the Leviathan, also known as ‘Black Bess’. She ended her short life, of less than two years, only two kilometres from where she was built on the shore of Soldier’s Cove.

The artwork uses several elements, with Origami boats as the starting point and the vessels are created using paper treated in three ways to represent various aspects of the story, the environment and the history of Mandurah over the past 100 years. Students created drawings, which when folded into vessels removed most of the drawing from sight. This represents the loss of the Leviathan and how after much time and effort we sometimes have to let go.

Like the drawings hidden inside the folds of Origami the Leviathan may no longer be visible but it still exists in our memories, images and records. Sometimes it’s enough just to know it was once there.