Nannette (Netty) Shaw is a Trawoolway from Cape Portland, Little Mussel Roe Bay, North East Tasmania, Tyereelore from the Bass Strait Island, Tasmania and she also has ancestral connections to the Bunurong people from Welcome River, Port Philip Bay, Victoria.

Nannette is a traditional Kelp worker, Basket weaver and Shell stringer following the traditions of her ancestors, Nannette creates the traditional Bull Kelp vessels in the same way as the Ancestral women of Tasmania have done for thousands of years.

Nannette has perfected her cultural gifts for 25 years and she has taught herself to make the Water Carriers in the same way as her Ancestral Women whose work was showcased at The Crystal Place in Exhibition in 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. This Water Carrier now resides in the British Museum in London, England

Culture is important to Nannette and she knows the importance of passing on Cultural knowledge to the younger women as it’s important that our Cultural crafts as an important part not only of our past but our present and more importantly our future.

Nannette has featured in Kanalaritja: an Unbroken String, Tayenebe through the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery ant the National Museum in Canberra both of which toured Australia for two years. Nannette has also gifted Kelp work to Queen Victoria Museum, Tasmania, Launceston Riawunna Cultural Learning Centre, University of Tasmania, Governor Kate Warner, Flinders Island Aboriginal Association Incorporated, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and Melaythenner Teeackana Warrana Aboriginal Corporation.

Nannette’s Kelp Water Carrier was a finalist in the 2018 NATSIAA/Telstra Award and a Kelp Water Carrier won the Koorie Heritage, Viva 3D Art Award in 2018.

Nannette has had work in exhibitions such as TarraWarra, Willam Biik that toured Victoria for two years from 2022-2024, thanks to NETs Victoria, her work was also a part of In Cahoots that started in Freemantle, WA and toured Australia for two years.

On 27 April 2026 a Bull Kelp Water Carrier made by Nannette Shaw was placed on permanent display at Government House, Hobart, Tasmania.