This emu egg was swapped for a Rank Arena colour television and some cash in 1980 at Broken Hill. It is one of the first eggs carved by Peter Harris, an artist currently based at Lake Cargelligo, central New South Wales. Peter was living at Menindee at the time he carved the egg and was fascinated by the adventures of Burke and Wills. Menindee was the staging post for their last, fateful trip, an appropriate place to carve a commemorative egg about their expedition. Peter completed the carving in one day. He then found a metal goblet, which became the stand. A few years ago he made a second Burke and Wills egg but is keeping it for family and friends.
Peter Harris learned to carve emu eggs by watching master Wiradjuri carver Sam Kirby. With these two eggs he illustrates traditional hunting practices by showing two hunters with spears waiting for game at dawn. One looks out for a kangaroo (on the back of the egg) while the other waits for an emu to emerge. If you look closely you can see the Southern Cross setting behind one of the hunters.
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