Melanie was born into interesting and diverse cultures: her father comes from the oldest city in Austria, Enns (Upper Austria) and her mother is from one of the oldest cultures on earth, Aboriginal people of Australia. While celebrating her Austrian heritage, she also identifies through her mother's line as a Mamu Aboriginal woman, Dugul-barra and Wari-burra family groups, from Johnstone River catchment of the Wet Tropics of Far North Queensland and the adjoining Great Barrier Reef sea country. Her work is influenced by her diverse cultures and her experiences in the outback, rainforest and reef country.
