For the convicts and authorities posted to Coal River, the natural environment presented both an abundant resource and an intimidating landscape yet to be understood. These two works use native and exotic flora to acknowledge the duality of this relationship.

Leaf chain is constructed from the leaves of a native east coast species- Banksia Aemula, and is reminiscent of the restrictive and painful chain worn by iron gangs as they served a sentence of exile and hard labour around Coal River. Leaf chain uses native vegetation to present the experience of an alien and hostile setting where even the natural environment acted as a prison.