Sonia was born by a billlabong at Noonkanbah community. Her parents were   Walmajarri whose movements led them to live by the Fitzroy River.  Sonia has lived most  her life at Noonkanbah. A compulsive artist, Sonia  for a long time was a teacher’s aide at the  local school where she  facilitated art making with the children. 
Illustrative of her  attachment to the country  where she grew up, an intimate life with the  river, Sonia’s art is a saturation of river country motifs, be  it  parlka (barramundi), brim, tortoise, stingray, pandanus trees or the  water itself. 
"Martuwarra is my river  country; this painting is  all about the Fitzroy River which flows down through Noonkanbah where I  live. All  kinds of fish live in the water, we catch big mob of fish  here. I like Parlka (barramundi). We catch catfish  and brim here too.  Nganku(shark), Wirritunany (swordfish) and Stingray also live here.  These fish live in  these waters long after the flood has gone.  Also,  this painting is about barramundi swimming on the surface of  the water,  you can also see the Wakiri (pandanus tree) and rocks all around. When  the barramundi get  tired they go back into the rock holes. These rock  holes hold all the Parlka (barrumundi) that live in  the river. Kalpurtu  (creator serpent type being) also live in these rock  holes and swim  all around the Palma (creeks) and all around the Wakiri that grows in  the river."