Paths of Many
Image source City of Belmont
Artist: Stuart Green
Asset Type: Sculpture, Metalwork
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Belmont Community Hub – Library and Museum, 213 Wright Street
Provenance: City of Belmont
Description: Welded and Powder Coated aluminium
Moon Haven
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Brenton See
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Cowaramup Main Street
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Cowaramup means ‘place of the cowara’, referring to the purple-crowned lorikeets, a swift, screeching bird that can still be found foraging in the treetops.
The fast-flying birds can be difficult to spot but are often sighted in nearby karri forest, nesting in the hollows of old trees.
This magnificent, larger than life mural pays homage to the traditional owners of the land, the Wadandi people and their connection to country, animals and flora.
Where the Wild Things are
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Hope Perth
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Margaret River Bakery, Main Street
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: These Wild Things won’t scare you – they’re here to welcome you into a headspace of playful memories and childlike wonder.
The artist puts a clever croissant twist on the beloved 1963 kids book written and illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
The mural will bring back memories of a long-cherished story that has stood the test of time.
Helter Skelter
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Hope Perth
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Margaret River Bakery, Main Street
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: A portrait of the artist’s friend Kristy, a talented graffiti artist herself and soon to be mum.
There’s a dash of artistic licence here, the butterfly on her cheek symbolising the incredible feats we can achieve when we trust ourselves, and the croissant smoke?
A playful reference to the delicious location. The famed bakery is responsible for some of the best pastries, pies and fresh bread you’ll taste.
Prince
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Hope Perth
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Margaret River Bakery, Main Street
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Commissioned by Marcelle Egberts, the portrait of Prince is a homage to one of the best songwriters in the world.
Prince looks flamboyant as ever, ready to have us swooning with his voice as he adorns the exterior wall of the bakery.
King Krule
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Hope Perth
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Ned Higgins Lane
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Commissioned by Ed from The Scissorhands Collective, Ed gave the artist free reign to paint one of his favourite musicians, King Krule.
The British singer, songwriter and producer touched a generation with his fusion of alt rock, hip hop and jazz.
The Ocean Always Wins
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Gabe Heussenstamm
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Ned Higgins Lane, Sessions Surf Shop
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Poseidon rules the sea, storms and earthquakes – and the local surf shop, too.
Harnessing the raw power of the ocean, he’ll smack some sense into anyone foolish enough to think they are in control.
Painted by an avid surfer and tattoo artist, it’s a reminder to respect the ocean and never underestimate its mighty swells and currents.
Wooditjup!
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Ian Mutch
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Margaret River Main Street
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Wooditjup is the traditional placename of Margaret River in Wadandi-Noongar culture and tells the story of the magic man Wooditch, the ancestor who created the river, Bilya. The Wooditjup Bilya is such a lifeforce and integral to the biodiversity of this area, for every raindrop is lifeblood to this land.
This collaborative mural celebrates the vibrant nature, culture, and community that draws us to the heart of Margaret River town.
Ian Mutch’s joyous characters are painted to represent everyone, celebrating diversity and unified respect for Wooditjup.
Stu McMillan’s addition draws on the native forest, bush and meandering river as it winds through paddocks, scrub, eucalypts and ancient granite gullies to the sea.
Jake Quodling riffed on Ian’s colour palette to write the place name, aiming for a simple illustration that would resonate with locals.
Farmer with Cattle Dog
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Hope Perth
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Fearn Ave, Festival Precinct
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Another figurative piece by the same artist as Border Collie, this mural recognises the region’s farming community, the relationships they have with their working dogs and the significance of women within the farming industry.
Holding a bowl of freshly plucked olives, she gazes across at Riversmith Café with its beautiful olive trees growing in their alfresco.
Relax on Fearn Avenue with a coffee, watch shoppers stroll by and enjoy the art and streetscape.
Wadandi Boodjarra
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Sandra Hill, Ian Mutch, Jack Bromell
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Margaret River Main Street
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: Wadandi Boodjarra pays homage to the Traditional Custodians of the southwest, the Wadandi First Nations people. It depicts Wadandi home country, local flora and iconic forest red-tailed black cockatoos, and celebrates ongoing connection to earth, sky, ocean, rivers and bloodlines of generations past, present and future.
Ian Mutch has drawn on his expertise in painting photo-realistic birds to create the forest red-tails. These are native to the southwest and provide a sense of place, belonging and cultural significance.
The Indigenous icons painted by Sandra Hill feature a strong red line on the corner of the building that runs from top to bottom. This line symbolises the family blood line all the way back to the ancient Wadandi creation story of the Margaret River (place of Wooditch). The central brown circle depicts home country, Wadandi Boodjarra (Wadandi home country). The patterns in the middle circle are the traditional markings on shields. The red circle symbolises old, ancient blood. The black line circle symbolises community. The ochre dots on the outside symbolise family clan groups.
Jack Bromell illustrated marri branches with leaves and flowers to highlight a sense of place through connection with native wildlife and ancient culture. The marri tree is a species native to the southwest, and its name derives from the local Noongar language. Forest red-tails can frequently be found perched amongst marri branches feeding on nuts and flowers, which are an important food source.
People of River: Wooditjup Bilya River
Image source Margaret River Art Trails
Artist: Miranda Aitken, Diane Hunter
Asset Type: Sculpture, Print, Poetry
Year of Work: 2014, reworked in 2020
Location: Margaret River HEART, Wallcliffe Road
Provenance: Shire of Augusta Margaret River
Description: This vibrant piece incorporates the contemplative words of local poet Miranda Aitken with the artwork background a print of an oil painting by Diane Hunter.
It is a lyric poem uniting all who have stood still by the Wooditjup Bilya (Margaret River) and its importance to the Wadandi people.
The artwork contains colours of the local environment – greens and blues with dashes of yellow. The panels allow light to shine through evoking watery elements and movement.
In 2014 the poem was originally printed on a painted background into a single rectangle of digiglass and located at the corner of Bussell Highway and Churchill Avenue. In 2020, following the redevelopment of the Cultural Centre into Nala Bardip Mia – Margaret River HEART, the piece was reworked into five Perspex panels and relocated to the Margaret River HEART gardens.
We of the Bibbulmun
Image source
Artist: Tjyllyungoo (Lance Chadd)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 22 Harvey St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “Ngarngungudditj Waargyl (the Bearded Python) created the estuary nurseries at Australind and formed the whole Collie River, including Brunswick and Preston Rivers, finally resting in Mininyup Pool. He is the spirit in all waters.
Culturally ‘Waargyl’ (Water Python) belongs to our Bibbulman people or you might say the Bibbulman people belong to Wargyl. He is all Law, both omnipotent and omnipresent, all knowing and all seeing. He is the creation spirit and both the punisher and rewarder.
In the old days Nyoongar people were law abiding people who lived in awe, fear and respect for ‘Waargyl’. ‘Waargylung’ is what we call punishment from Waargyl. There are many stories associated with Waargyl, like in the beginning when laws were created and given.
The Rainbow Serpent represents water and all the river systems and estuaries. Is both Male and Female. Waargyl is the giver of life and all totemic/Boorongur, governing lore of connection.” Tjyllyungoo/Lance Chadd
About the artist:
Lance Chadd, a Bibbulmun Nyoongar/Budimia Yamatji Aboriginal artist born in the South West town of Bunbury, works under his traditional tribal name ‘Tjyllyungoo’ (meaning, Elder Man/Wisdom/Law, given to him by his Father, Norman Chadd, a well-known Drover of Yamatji Country). His name and breathtaking work are known, recognised and respected throughout South Western Australian and International art circles, South Western Aboriginal communities, art curators and researchers on South Western Aboriginal Art and artists. He is known as one of the most senior and important Nyoongar artists alive.
Tjyllyungoo has painted professionally since 1981, and his paintings are in many collections worldwide and locally including the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Parliament House and the Berndt Museum Collection. His 3D sculptures and public artworks expressed throughout WA with career pinnacle sculpture WIRIN standing tall and strong in Yagan Square Perth CBD.
Tjyllyungoo is prolific in his mastery of depicting Australian landscapes, with constantly evolving work producing progressively more powerful collections, as he skilfully weaves the intangible Nyoongar spiritual beliefs and stories, through landforms, in paintings and in 3D Public artworks. These exquisite expressions allow easy access for the viewer to search and find understanding of Nyoongar culture and how the land and spirit of the people are inseparable. His peoples take pride in and are inspired by his work, remembering and maintaining their identity, strength of spirit and sense of belonging in their homeland Boodja.
Pit Pony
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Shakey (Jacob butler)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 62 Forrest St
Provenance: Shire of collie
Description: After spending a day with the staff at the Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre, Shakey was inspired by local mining history and the stories of pit ponies once used in Collie’s coal mines. Referencing photographs sourced from the museum, Shakey has painted an imagined story of children running off with a pit pony to play miner for the day.
About the artist:
Shakey (Jacob Butler) is an artist based in Fremantle, Western Australia. Jacob works in many mediums including acrylics, oils, pastel and aerosol. Jacob’s essential tremor that existed from birth got him branded ‘Shakey’, giving him his unique, free-flowing, intuitive style. Jacob’s art career began on the wharf in 2013, where he experimented using paint and colour for the first time whilst decorating his workmate’s hard-hats. The demand for Jacob’s artwork grew fast as well as his passion and drive to paint bigger and better. Since becoming a full-time artist he has been invited to paint live in front of large audiences for private concerts, gala balls, weddings and large charity events internationally, with his paintings yielding very successful results due to the raw energy put into his work whilst under pressure. His recent painting for Telethon 2020, televised and painted over 10 hours, raised $25,000 for Telethon. Since 2018 Jacob has developed a very successful and exclusive live wedding portrait painting business, which sees him frequently travelling across the country to paint wedding portraits in the major cities. During the winter season, Jacob focuses his energies on large-scale murals across Western Australia and is currently working towards his second exhibition. His story has been featured in the West Australian, Channel 7’s Today Tonight, on radio and via an award winning short film, Shakey’s Story.
Collie-Cardiff RSL Tribute
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Shakey (Jacob Butler)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 1 Lefroy St (Collie-Cardiff RSL)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “After meeting with the Collie-Cardiff RSL, visiting the Collie Local History Collection and the Coalfields Museum and Research Centre, and talking with other Collie locals, I was struck by the profound impact that war has had on the history of Collie. It’s been said that the town has sent more of its population to war (on a per capita basis) than any other community in Australia.
Instead of capturing the devastating side of war, I wanted to create an uplifting mural that focuses on camaraderie, mateship and the loyalty that each soldier has for one another. I chose the iconic game of two-up as the driver behind the mural – a game that was enjoyed before, during and after times of war, that links servicemen and women together.
The first scene in the mural depicts two-up being played during the different wars throughout history. Some of the portraits are of Collie servicemen, including VC winner Martin O’Meara as well as current RSL members.
The second scene is recreation of the RSLWA logo, modified in 1990 to include a sailor, soldier, airman and servicewoman. The portraits are of proud, happy servicemen and women including an Aboriginal infantryman, acknowledging Collie as the town that is believed to be the first place in Western Australia to acknowledge Aboriginal servicemen in a formal war memorial.
The remaining scenes include a portrait of Ron ‘Collie Boy’ Miffling sharing a photo of his wife and child with a fellow soldier. The depiction represents the act of sharing and storytelling, as well as the sacrifice that servicemen and women make by leaving their loved ones behind. Also among the portraits is a depiction of Martin O'Meara VC, who rescued up to 25 soldiers from no-man's land, a representation of the importance of never leaving your fellow soldier behind – both during and after the war.” Shakey (Jacob Butler)
About the artist:
Jacob Butler (Shakey) is a young, self-taught artist based in Fremantle. Jacob works in many mediums including acrylics, oils, pastel and aerosol. Jacob’s essential tremor that existed from birth got him branded ‘Shakey’, giving him his unique, free-flowing, intuitive style. Since becoming a full-time artist he has been invited to paint live in front of large audiences for private concerts, gala balls, weddings and large charity events internationally, with his paintings yielding very successful results due to the raw energy put into his work whilst under pressure. He is currently working on large scale murals and performing live wedding art in and around Australia. Between commissions he also continues his art workshops for people with disabilities and is working towards his second exhibition.
Hit the Trails
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Sioux Tempestt
Asset Type: Street Art
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Collie Visitor Centre, 156 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This contemporary artwork encourages involvement, interaction and imagination, offering viewers an intangible and emotional experience. The site specific narrative aims to connect with visitors to stimulate investigation.
The ground level artwork is interactive, inviting visitors on a journey of discovery linking directly with elements found in the local Collie area including the kangaroo paw, the spider orchid, wattle flowers, banksia, karri tree flower and local water bodies. The colours are derived from the earthen colours of the land, local flora and natural bush land, plus the turquoise of the nearby lakes. The overlaying lines replicate nature’s energy and are symbolic of the many trails throughout Collie. Filled with energy and excitement, the mural offers a vibrant welcome to the town and the Visitor Centre.
About the artist:
In addition to studio-based works, Sioux’s practice employs a multi-disciplinary approach, generating mural, public, sculptural and digital art which meaningfully contributes to its context. Sioux enjoys pushing the boundaries of her practice by traversing across different mediums and scale of works. She produces public artworks with site specific narrative connecting with community to create a sense of place. Her work fuses colour and form through contemporary, thought provoking abstracted shapes and patterns. Sioux’s studio paintings intuitively fuse colour and form to investigate the integration of abstract expressionism within different environments. Her work is held in the Ronald McDonald House and City of South Perth collections.
Black Diamond
Image source Shire of Collie
Artist: Natalie Veal
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 101 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Black Diamond, by local artist Natalie Veal, depicts one of her favourite places, a beautiful spring-fed swimming area – Black Diamond Lake. This lake was once an open pit mine, and is now a picturesque recreational place of tranquillity and fun.
About the artist:
Born in 1967, Natalie considers at least 50 years of her life to have been filled extraordinarily with art in some form, drawing and painting on everything with anything from a very young age. Natalie drew her first lifelike portrait of her Great-Grandfather at the age of eleven, and painted her first portrait in oils of little sister Chantelle not long after. Throughout Natalie’s life, art has been a comfort, an inspiration, a communicator and a wonderful form of expression.
The Bones of Collie
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Marina Lommerse, Michael Phillips
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 143 & 127 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “A sixth-generation Collie resident described Collie’s industrial history as, ‘the bones of this town’. The Collie township originated as a mining town with its post-colonial heritage steeped in coal mining, forestry, and railways.
The industry and natural resources are interrelated. Timber was required to house the settlers, build the railways, feed the steam engines, and structure the underground coal tunnels. The rail was essential to bring in settlers and supplies, to carry coal out of the mines and get the coal to market. The whole township of Collie is riddled by underground tunnels. Tunnels under the river, the highway, the cemetery, and the houses and commercial buildings.
Over the 65-meter long gradient of this mural, colours reflect Collie’s lakes, river, sky, forest, wildflowers and bushland. Overlaid are ‘short stories’ (the mural is only 50 cm high) of legs, tools, implements, underground coal tunnel maps, wildflowers and corellas hint at the early life and times in the timber, rail & coal industries.
The images have been abstracted from archival photographs and drawings that can be viewed in the Coalfields Museum and Historical Research Centre. It includes species endemic to the region — the Western Corella and wildflowers.” Marina Lommerse and Michael Phillips
The mural was researched, conceived, developed and then painted through a collaborative process facilitated by Michael and Marina. Michael and Marina kickstarted Mural Studio in 2020 to collaboratively undertake a mural painting process while also offering educational and social opportunities.
The Mural Studio team was made up of local Collie residents, architecture and interior architecture students and graduates, and our friends and family.
About the artists:
Marina Lommerse is a visual artist. She has exhibited, created public artworks, and lead community-based art projects in Australia and overseas. Her work has been funded by national and state arts and culture organisations, and city councils. Formerly a professor at Curtin University she was a Finalist, Australian Awards for University Teaching.
Michael Phillips is a mural artist, designer and educator. In 2014 Michael cofounded Ateliervivo – a program in Brazil that offers educational experiences through participants designing and building projects for local communities. One workshop, MuralStudio explores how murals can be collaboratively and efficiently created to improve public spaces. Michael also teaches architecture at Curtin University.
Local stories and archival research: Tom Reardon, Tania Roberts, Nola Green Mural Studio Artist team: Clifford Scanlan, James Russell, Jack Holmes, Camilo Idarraga, Joy Marshall, Danielle Marinho, Rose Phillips
Collie community collaborators: Alison Melvin, Stephen Melvin, Ellen Corbin, Rachael Williams, Thamarat Phokai, Ash Briggs, Tania Roberts
The Girl in the Shop Window
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Marina Lommerse, Michael Phillips
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 72 Forrest St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “Collie residents remember the events that entertained them in shop windows as much as the goods on display. The scene depicted in the mural was inspired by archival research and conversations with long-term locals.
One intriguing story was the travelling hypnotist who put people to sleep and then displayed them in a shop window – selling tickets for the public to view.
Black and white TVs were introduced to Collie in the 1950s. Townspeople crowded around shop windows for a good possie. We set the scene with mid-century modern furniture and Manchester goods on display, in a black and white world of early television.
What is that bird in the crowd? Is it an emu? Is it a swan? It is, in fact, a man in a swan costume and was inspired by a photo we discovered in the Coalfields Museum.
During the painting process local Aboriginal Elder, James Kahn, requested we incorporate an image. See if you can find it.” Marina Lommerse and Michael Phillips
The mural was researched, conceived, developed and then painted through a collaborative process facilitated by Michael and Marina.
Michael and Marina kickstarted Mural Studio in 2020 to collaboratively undertake a mural painting process while also offering educational and social opportunities. The Mural Studio team was made up of a temporary Collie resident, architecture and interior architecture students and graduates, and our friends and family.
About the artists:
Marina Lommerse is a visual artist. She has exhibited, created public artworks, and lead community-based art projects in Australia and overseas. Her work has been funded by national and state arts and culture organisations, and city councils. Formerly a professor at Curtin University she was a Finalist, Australian Awards for University Teaching.
Michael Phillips is a mural artist, designer and educator. In 2014 Michael cofounded Ateliervivo – a program in Brazil that offers educational experiences through participants designing and building projects for local communities. One workshop, MuralStudio explores how murals can be collaboratively and efficiently created to improve public spaces. Michael also teaches architecture at Curtin University.
Local stories and archival research: Yvonne Hammond, Gloria Mathews, Margaret Bates, Tom Reardon, Tania Roberts, Alison Melvin, Nola Green, James Kahn Mural Studio
Artist team: Clifford Scanlan, Jack Holmes, Robyn Duncan
Collie community collaborator: Thamarat Phokai
River Lines
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Mikaela Miller
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Pump house, corner of Crampton St and Steere St S
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “River Lines speaks to the history and evolution of the stretch of Collie River that neighbours the Crampton St Pump House site, inspired by conversations with locals, news clippings from the 1964 Collie River flood, and research into the river’s ecology and management plans.
The story flows in three parts across the painted faces of the building, in a reflection of changing water levels and river health. It begins with the pre-European river environment; clear waters, prolific boronia and thriving jarrah forest. This is followed by a decline in water quality and fauna numbers as altered water flow and invasive species, such as nardoo weed, leave their impact. Then, the recovery begins and species such as gilgie return to healthier population numbers, and wildflowers like the Collie Grevillea can be nurtured and celebrated, as a balance is found between the natural and manufactured systems of the Collie River Valley.
This is the river’s journey in navigating competing recreational, commercial, cultural and ecological demands and thresholds, but it reflects much of Collie’s broader narrative and exists at a time where the town finds itself entering into a new chapter of its story. The scientific name for the Collie Grevillea, is Grevillea ripicola – where ‘ripicola’ roughly means ‘living by the bank of the river’.
I think this moment in time is a great opportunity for Collie to question what it means to live by the bank of the river, and to shape and champion what the privilege and responsibility of this lifestyle looks like.” Mikaela Miller
About the artist:
Mikaela Miller is young Western Australian artist living in Walyallup/ Fremantle. Having trained in both design and community development, she works predominantly as a public artist, print maker and as an arts facilitator - running workshops and coordinating community art projects.
Mikaela's work typically features native flora. She is fascinated by the variety and distribution of species around Australia, and the world. Her practice explores how endemic flowers can be both a complex and highly accessible subject matter to encourage viewers to consider place, identity and their relationship to the natural environment. These bright florals and her unique command of line, illustrating form and texture, can be found across metro and regional WA.
Her fascination with florals stem from her childhood - witnessing how her Grandfather’s prize-winning garden impacted the wider community and permeated simple human interactions. She learned how nature can enable generosity, joy, and connection. Her dedication to investigating species specific to each work’s locale is her way of understanding a place. In part, it reveals the character and vibrancy of that area. In part it can also help to unpack both the colonial and pre-colonial narratives there. Her innate curiosity, and passion for sustainability compel her to explore a place not only for what it is now, but also for what it once was, and what it could be (or could have been).
Mikaela has painted a variety of private commissions; large scale public works for local councils, developments and festivals; and coordinated a string of community murals - either working closely with youth and school groups or creatively engaging the broader community. Her studio works have been exhibited in solo and group shows around Perth & Fremantle.
The Sun and the Moon — the Moon and the Sun
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Kyle Hughes-Odgers
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 44 Johnston St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: The Sun and the Moon – the Moon and the Sun is an abstract artwork made up of six individual portrait panels. The images move in colour from warms to cool, tracking the movement of the day into night.
About the artist:
Kyle Hughes-Odgers (b.1981) is a multi-disciplinary Australian Visual Artist who works locally and globally on art projects across various formats - Murals, Gallery Exhibitions and 3D installations. His work explores colour theory, abstraction and narrative - Inspired by nature, the built environment and human behaviour. He has been exhibiting his work since 2005 including solo exhibitions in Perth, Melbourne, Berlin, Amsterdam, Madrid, Los Angeles and Vienna. His work is held in numerous private and public collections worldwide. In addition to his exhibition works, Kyle has created large scale murals in New York City, Washington DC, Los Angeles, London, Singapore, Madrid, Berlin, Cambodia, Iceland and across Australia.