Shirley has painted a story told to her by her mother, Madigan Thomas.

Madigan grew up on Baluwah - Violet Valley, a cattle station and also reserve which is south west from the Warrmarn community.

Since her passing, Shirley has been painting many stories her mother told her as a child. Shirley also lived and worked at Violet Valley and she managed the outstation with her late husband Gordon Barney.

This painting is about an old woman who ran away from her husband. She ran away because he would beat her. She went up to a hill and found a cave and sat there quietly and made a coolaman. Some women from different country found her and asked her where she came from. She said "ngulung" [from that way - and pointed west]. "I ran away from my husband, he used to belt me up. He was a bad hunter, he would go away and eat bush food and bring nothing back."

In the Ngarranggarni [Dreamtime] the old woman was called Windool - which is the bird that is also known as the Curlew.