A state-funded project to reinvigorate business precincts has added a splash of culture and colour to the City of Whittlesea.

This year saw the creation of eight new murals in the City of Whittlesea. All of the murals are unique and have transformed their locations with colourful and creative imagery that reflects place.

The key aims of the murals are to help visually enhance and activate business precincts, support community safety and confidence, and to support artists through the commissioning of public artworks. Two of the murals were funded by the City of Whittlesea’s Capital Works Program and Council’s Paint the Town program, which was funded by the State Government’s COVIDSafe Outdoor Activation Fund, delivered a series of six murals created and installed throughout the municipality.

List and location of new murals:

Capital Works

Kangaroo Paw Bird Song by Al Stark (assisted by Lilith Stark)
Located at Dennison Mall Bundoora Square on the side wall of “Mr Souv” restaurant.

This work is a continuation of a native flora and fauna series of visual poems.

The composition and colour serve to complement its urban environment as well as 

offer a unique sense of wonder that also sits as an artwork giving passers by 

 moment of pause and beauty. The colours in this work have been considered, 

designed and offered as a visual gift, a symbol of colour, form, and transcendence.

- Al Stark 2022

Untitled Mural by Hayden Dewar
Located at ​​​​​​​Carrington Children’s Centre Mural, 2022, 62 Carringtom Blvd Thomastown.

The two murals include images of things that inspire children and their learning; things like nature, play, making things, socialising with friends and family and having fun.  The murals reflect themes suitable for the children and their families and for the community to enjoy.

The murals complete the upgrades at the Carrington Children’s Activity Centre, with its new playground and its inspiring artwork transforming the visual appearance of the Centre.

Paint the Town Project

Light Rising by Street Artist “Veins”
Located on the Coles wall in Settlement Road near the cnr of Settlement Rd and Plenty Rd Bundoora, at Bundoora Square.

This work commissioned through Juddy Roller Street Art Agency was delivered by the City of Whittlesea with Bundoora Square traders, with themes informed by local residents.

Street Artist Veins has transformed a large grey nondescript wall into a thing of great beauty. The mural he created reflects place, as it features Bundoora specific themes and imagery. The design references the residents love of open space and nature in Bundoora, and the beautiful gum trees and Sulphur Crested Cockatoos that are often seen in the area. It also references an interdependence between humans and nature. The large rock formation on the LHS of the design portrays the nearby Plenty Gorge in Bundoora and in the background are the Kinglake Ranges.

The artist said he received overwhelmingly positive comments from passers-by, and many happy toots and thumbs up from people travelling past the site in cars and trucks and even buses, and from residents walking past the site and/or living in the area.

Banksia Moon by Al Stark (assisted by Lilith Stark),
Located on the front wall of Epping Memorial Hall, 827 High Street Epping.

 “Banksia Moon serves as a visual poem contemplating bird song and frenetic bush energy organically bursting from the existing Brut architecture of Epping Memorial Hall. The line work, colour and composition have been considered to compliment and work within the park setting and pre-existing architecture”.

 - Al Stark 2022

Pear Tree Wall by Al Stark (assisted by Oskar & Lilith Stark)
Located at Epping Views Family & Community Centre, 15 Lyndarum Drive Epping

 “Due to the unusual surface and architecture of this wall I decided to take a different approach. Rather than trying to impose a visual narrative over the corrugated surface, I instead used the linear forms to create a colour xylophone. Colours where based on the ornamental pear tree colours that line the footpaths and involved mixing 52 different colours to divide into the linear forms of the building. This design approach was able to create a beautiful rhythmic colour vibration that serves as an experience and joyful sense of wonder”. 

- Al Stark 2022

Thomastown – A Mural Tryptich by  Shawn Lu
Located at Nick Ascenzo Community Centre,  3 Boronia Street Thomastown not far from the cnr of Alexandra Avenue Thomastown.

Thomastown is a Melbourne suburb rich in history, cultural diversity, tied together by an industrial centre which is the suburb’s beating heart.
Shawn Lu’s Mural Tryptich painted around the Nick Ascenzo Community Centre was created to celebrate themes that make Thomastown unique, and capture the spirit of the suburb in a joyful and communal light.

The mural is divided along three walls, each with its own theme that highlights a motif which is special to Thomastown and her inhabitants.

MURAL 1: North Wall
Title: Industry

Mural 2: South Wall,
Title: Youth
“This mural faces the school playground, and represents both the early German & Wendich settlers and their history in Thomastown in the 19th century, as well as children at play. The background is floral in nature, with reference images taken from the flower garden at Ziebell’s Farm in Thomastown. The predominantly floral aspect to the mural is also considered for the Iranian and Muslim community that make up a significant part of Thomastown’s residents”.

Mural 3: West Wall
Title: Community
“This mural faces the park next to the centre and is indicative of the multicultural nature of Thomastown’s inhabitants. There is a strong sense of community among young and old”. Residents from many different cultures meet together to share good times, conversation and delicious food delicacies that they often make themselves.  

You can explore these murals and more public art in the City of Whittlesea online via our interactive Public Art Map.