William Ricketts

Artist and Lover of Nature

1898 - 1993

William Ricketts (1898 - 1993) was a pioneer Australian activist for Aboriginal rights and environmental awareness.
He began promoting these issues in the late 1920s and continued until his death. His principal medium of expression was ceramic sculptures. These sculptures feature the themes of Australian Aboriginal culture and spirituality, and draw a viewers' attention to environmental degradation. Ricketts' intangible legacy is the impact he had on changing the national ethos toward indigenous Australians and the environment.
He began what he termed his "crusade" in a time of general ignorance. Indigenous Australians were generally deemed to have been a dying race heading toward extinction and the environment was widely regarded as an infinite resource. Ricketts had the foresight to challenge those views. He weathered criticism and ridicule.
Ricketts physical legacy is the William Ricketts Sanctuary.

This documentary contains some of the best records you will ever see of this unique Australian!

Beautifully shot by Rob Copping, this film by David Bilcock is a tribute to one man's lifetime vision and quest for truth.