Coal Mining Through the Ages
Image source Shire of Collie
Artist: Shakey (Jacob Butler)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2021
Location: Collie Woolworths, rear carpark
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “Collie coal has played a vital role in the development of Western Australia. The danger and hard work that the men (and women who supported the family) endured is incredible and hard to comprehend in this day and age.
I wanted to pay tribute to the underground coal mining industry in two parts.
Central to part one is a hostler walking out with his pit pony at the end of shift. The painting is referenced from a photo taken at the Bullfinch Coal Mine (Proprietary )Collie in April 1939.
Part two is laid out like a timeline, from the early days (earliest reference photo from 1939) dominated by manual-handling up until the introduction of machinery like the bobcat and the Alpine Continuous Miner.” Shakey (Jacob Butler)
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.
Black Cockatoos
Image source Shire of Collie
Artist: Natalie Veal
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2021
Location: Suspension Bridge, Cnr Flora Road and Scenic Drive, Collie State Forest
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: The bridge’s concrete footings feature a mural which depicts local plants and animals and a geometric pattern that represents the natural and cultural connections that exist in this ancient landscape. The blue lines represent the above-ground water table, while the thick white lines are the dividing lines between the different Wilman tribes.
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.
Boronia Gully
Image source Shire of Collie
Artist: Shakey (Jacob Butler), guidance from Joe Northover
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2021
Location: Collie Shire Office, 87 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This mural depicts Aboriginal community members and leaders Jimmy and Mary Meares, Ray Davis and his father Mr Davis, and Jack Slaven and his wife. They stand at Minninup Pool the sacred resting place of the Ngangungudditj Walgu (hairy faced snake), on the Collie River.
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.
Dorsett Motors
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jarrad Martyn
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 88 Steere St N
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This mural responds to the past use of the site as Dorsett Motors, a Ford car dealership from 1930 to 1980, and as one of the locations of the Collie Co-operative Store.
“The mural depicts a scene of shifting different time periods. I am drawn to the theatrical lighting that characterised many car advertisements of the 1970s and 1980s, and particularly how this creates a sense of drama that encourages narrative associations. By playing with and employing these conventions, the scene becomes loaded with ambiguity and potential for multiple interpretations. The mural uses several different cars to signify the years the dealership was operational. The foreground prominently features two 1981 Lasers, typifying the closing of the dealership. Conversely, in the background, a 1934 Model BB V8 Truck illustrates its opening.” Jarrad Martyn
Untitled
Image source Jade Dolman
Artist: Jade Dolman (J.D. Penangke), Seantelle Walsh
Asset Type: Street Art
Year of Work: 2021
Location: 87 Throssell St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This artwork represents the Ngangungudditj Walgu (hairy faced snake) who is the creator of the pools and waterways around Collie.
About the artists:
The name J.D. Penangke comes from Jade Dolman's initials and Penangke (pronounced pen-ung-gah) is her skin name which she inherited from her Father's line. Jade is a Whadjuk/Balladong Nyoongar (Mother's side), Eastern Arrernte (Father's side) woman from Perth. She is a visual artist and remains connected to her culture through painting and family.
She has a passion for making a change through art for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Her purpose is to highlight that all land is traditional country which our ancestors have practiced culture on for thousands of years. Her murals and public art are a contemporary continuation of traditional culture. J.D. Penangke was officially started in 2014. In December 2017 she graduated from the University of Western Australia. Her degree is a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Indigenous Knowledge, History & Heritage and Fine Arts.
Seantelle Walsh is a young contemporary Noongar Artist, born and raised in Perth (Whadjuk country). She has worked across the Western Australian community under her trade name Kardy Kreations. She delivers painting workshops to various schools and organisations, encouraging cultural diversity with a contemporary perspective on Aboriginal Art and Culture.
Her mother’s paternal heritage has connection to the Perenjori Balardong area and her mother’s maternal ancestry connects with the Wilman Tribe from Gnaala Kala Boodja region. Seantelle identifies strongly with her culture and proudly displays connection through her work. Being the eldest of six children, she shares a strong sense of family and community.
Seantelle creates bespoke and commissioned pieces, both digitally and with acrylic paint on canvas or natural materials. Seantelle creates by drawing inspiration from what she sees and feels around her through her spirituality and what connects her back to Boodja (country).
Fading Habitat
Image source Esteban The Nature Man
Artist: Ian Mutch
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 51 Steere St S (laneway)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Fading Habitat depicts the Baudin’s Cockatoo, or the White-Tailed Black Cockatoo, in flight, above abstract and hidden details portraying native plants and local blue waters. The Baudin’s Cockatoo is a different species to the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo, and can be identified by its longer bill. These birds are normally seen in groups of three or more, and are endemic to Australia’s South West. They nest in the hollows of old marri, karri, wandoo, tuart and bullich trees.
Baudin’s Cockatoos are currently at risk of extinction. Protecting their habitat is vitally important, particularly old growth forests. Two-thirds of Australia is privately-managed rural land, with private land-owners playing an increasingly important role in the conservation of these birds and other threatened species. If you have the opportunity, start by planting a Marri tree.
Subterranean Marron
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jackson Harvey, Ed Riley
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Pump house, corner of Medic St and Harvey St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Subterranean Marron tells the story of a colony of marron that was bred deep beneath the earth during Collie’s days of underground coal mining.
To develop this piece, Jackson Harvey reached out to local conservationist, Ed Riley, to learn more about the relationship between the local community and the smooth marron (Cherax cainaii), a species endemic to Collie and the South West. Ed has years of experience working with the Department of Fisheries and was all too happy to share his knowledge of this local marron species with Jackson.
Through conversations with Ed, Jackson learnt about a period in Collie’s early underground coal mining days, when miners successfully bred marron in the depths of the mines, far from their natural habitats. As a consequence of being bred in the dark, these crustaceans developed blindness.
Subterranean Marron seeks to tell the story of these underground marron, taken from their river habitats and bred beneath the earth.
Three Workers
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Fintan Magee
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 75 Patterson St (Mineworkers Institute)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Three Workers promotes unity between working people across industry, representing the backbone of working culture in Collie. The mural depicts a farmer with his dog on the right, and a miner seated on the left. The work, located on the Collie Union Hall, aims to promote unity across industries and working class solidarity.
The work is painted in a bevelled glass effect and is tinted with a red colour, aiming to emulate the stained glass across union halls and stone mason halls across the world. Stained glass is an integral part of both ecclesiastical and secular architecture and is an example of working craftsmanship and human achievement.
The work is painted with a split image effect, meaning the figures are abstracted, broken and disconnected. When you walk to the centre of the mural the figures come together to make a complete image. This encourages interactivity for the viewer and photography of the mural.
Karda
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jack Bromell
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 38-40 Johnston St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “I have painted a giant Karda (goanna) over patterns of native flora to the area. The skin of the Karda depicts the people of Collie, past and present, celebrating the moon and the stars. I chose to paint the Karda because it's an iconic and striking reptile native to the area. It may serve as a reminder to the community that nature is to be respected and without it we have no stories and no history.” Jack Bromell
Friday Night at the Theatre Royale
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Marina Lommerse, Michael Phillips
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 64 Forrest Street
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “This ode to the much-loved Theatre Royal alludes to leisure pastimes in the past and future of Collie. The mural is located on the site of the former theatre site which opened in 1928 and was demolished in the 1970s.
From Collie residents, we found a well of fond memories about the grandeur of the space and the shenanigans that took place.
‘If those seats could talk,’ one resident commented in passing while we were painting. ‘On Friday nights we would go to the pictures in the Theatre Royal. With the curved staircase and red velvet curtains, it was a grand place.’
The depiction of the audience, dressed in costumes of the era, was prompted by the quote, ‘We always sat downstairs and considered the upstairs gallery somewhere for only the hob-knobs – whoever they might have been in Collie.’
On the screen, a travelogue of a bushwalker enjoying the Collie great outdoors is showing. Dorothy, a character from The Wizard of Oz, a movie of the era, is the bushwalker. The movie marquee references a long-standing Collie shoe store, Well’s Boot Palace, where Dorothy purchased her ruby bushwalking shoes. Dorothy no longer lives in Kansas – she’s moved to Collie Trail Town for the great outdoors life!
Visit the mural, bring your vintage hats and pose as one of the hob-knobs in the upstairs gallery. But don’t throw any jaffa balls or Mr. King, the renowned, long-standing usher will be on your case!” Marina Lommerse and Michael Phillips
The mural was researched, conceived, developed and then painted through a collaborative process facilitated by Michael and Marina.
Local stories and archival research: Yvonne Hammond, Gloria Mathews, Margaret Bates, Tom Reardon, Tania Roberts, Alison Melvin, Nola Green
Mural Studio artist team: Camilo Idarraga, Jack Holmes, Joy Marshall, Robyn Duncan
Collie community collaborator: Thamarat Phoka
Untitled
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Jade Dolman (J.D. Penangke)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Wellington Dam lookout, Wellington Dam Rd, Worsley
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “In this mural, the colour blue depicts the beelier (river) which gives us life. White represents our stories, that run through the land and are passed on from generation to generation. The colour green portrays our lush eucalyptus trees providing food and shelter for the birds, while purple depicts the bright wildflowers that grow among the bushland.” Jade Dolman
Gnaala Karla Booja
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Kamsani Bin Salleh (Kambarni)
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: 42 Johnston St, Collie
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “’Gnaala Karla Booja’. This is the title of the work, it is also the name of the region that encompasses the towns of Capel, Donnybrook, Balingup, Wickepin, Narrogin, Williams, Mundijong, Kwinana, Brookton, Pingelly, Wagin, Harvey, Collie, Pinjarra, Mandurah and Boddington. It translates roughly to ‘Our Home Land’ in Noongar. Karla refers to ‘home’ but also to ‘fire’ which is why the mural colours of red and yellow were chosen. The fire coloured patterns seem quite random at first but eventually reveal a lot more, much like looking into a campfire on a dark night. Animals, endemic to the region their relationships as well as Noongar cultural practices of the area, constantly reveal and hide themselves within the artwork.” Kambarni
Untitiled
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Ernie Turpin, Lousie Turnpin
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2006
Location: Collie Goods Shed, Forrest St (inside)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: This series of two murals, located inside the Collie Goods Shed, tell the story of Collie’s rail heritage.
Jones Family
Image source Taj Kempe, David Dewsbury
Artist: Donald Cook
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Cnr Steere Street N & Forrest St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: “Jones Family tells the story of David Jones and his young family – amongst the first group of colonial families sent to Collie, tasked with establishing the coal mining industry in town. The region would go on to produce power for over 123 years, playing a key part in making Western Australia what it is today.
In this mural, Mr Jones is placed into Ted Green’s Barber Shop, which previously stood where the Jones Arcade is today. There are small, detailed objects placed around the Barber Shop for the viewer to find, telling a personal story of Collie’s locals and of industries that Collie is transitioning into as the days of coal come to an end.
I strongly recommend a trip to the Coalfields Museum and Research History. You will be surprised by Collie’s colourful history!” Donald Cook
Creed Birch
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Daek William
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2019
Location: 73 Steere St N (laneway)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Daek William transformed the side of the Red Cross building with a large mural developed around the theme of bikes, hikes and trails. The mural was developed in 2019 for Festiv Arty, Collie’s local art festival.
Untitled
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Trudi Curran, Collie Community
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 1999
Location: 24 Harvey St (rear wall facing carpark)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Dr. Keith Meadows asked Trudi Curran and the Collie Senior High School students to help depict a mural that illustrated opportunities available in Collie. A range of panels that were designed and painted by the students, Keith and some of the doctors at the practice were the result; a collaborative piece. A long, stylized shape that represented the Collie River was also created as a background to the design.
Collaborators: Dr Keith Meadows and other associated doctors at Collie River Valley Medical Centre; students from Collie Senior High School.
The Endless Adventure
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Andrew Frazer, Lori Pensini, Collie Youth
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2016
Location: Cnr Steere Street N & Johnston St
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: The Endless Adventure responds to the themes of adventure, local exploration and home. The concept was developed during youth workshop focusing on shared stories and skill development. Developed in 2016 for Festiv Arty, Collie’s local art festival, the mural was installed over three days by Andrew, Lori & a group of passionate local Collie youth.
A Love Letter
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Andrew Frazer, Collie Community
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2017
Location: 24 Harvey St (side wall facing laneway)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: A Love Letter is about celebrating where you live – a love letter of appreciation. The concept was developed during a youth workshop focusing on shared stories and skill development. The mural was installed over three days by Andrew, Noel & a group of passionate local Collie youth, as part of Festive Arty, Collie’s local art festival.
Collaborators: Noel Barnes & Collie Youth (Lily McCallum, Asha Briggs, Lena Perry, Lewis Thomson, Brydie Hanns, Aspen Peel, Georgie-Rose Perry)
Kulguty (meeting place)
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Basil Hart, Mark Dann, mentored by Troy Bennel
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2010
Location: Collie Visitor Centre, 154 Throssell St (inside)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Each year, the traditional Noongar people of this area would travel through the countryside following the seasons and settling where food was plentiful. After a stint inland, they would gather in an area like the one depicted in this artwork to wait for the orchids to flower. It was at this time they knew to follow the nearby Brunswick River to the coast where the fish would be running. Images of Noongar ancestors can be seeing the trees framing the artworks as a mark of respect for those that have passed.
The left-hand panel depicts a camping ground where the Noongar people would hold corrobarees involving traditional singing, tapping sticks and dance. There was always a fire burning for warmth, cooking and light. The water represents the Brunswick River.
The central panel shows the diversity of flora and fauna native to the area. When the trees used to blossom, there were spider and donkey orchids, berries, gumnuts and flowers. The Noongars knew there was feed in the river. Marron, crabs and cobblers all lived in the Brunswick River which then flows into the Collie River and continues into the estuary near Eaton.
The right-hand panel shows Noongar people leaving the campsite and travelling closer to the coast. The place they set up camp is known as the Kingston area today. This is something they did each year as they followed the feed and the seasons. This areas was a campsite for the local Noongar people who used it as a place to stop on their way to the coast. They walked along the Brunswick River and then the Collie River before continuing onto the estuary around Australind / Eaton.
Ground
Image source Taj Kempe
Artist: Audrey Frenandes-Satar, Arif Satar
Asset Type: Mural
Year of Work: 2020
Location: Lot 5 Medic Street (Flooring Xtra side wall)
Provenance: Shire of Collie
Description: Ground is a panoptic drawing of the hills draped with patterns inspired by banksia seed pods, calling attention to the fragility of Collie’s ancient landscape where the river flows gently. Here, the richness of black coal emerges to balance the built environment, reminding us of the preciousness of the land and our interaction with it.
Conceptually, Ground is an act of drawing where moments in history are touched upon in gestures of ideation, such as historical buildings, housing for immigrants layered with threads of embroidery that made this place home. But most importantly, it is the soft hills of Collie that take centre stage, laboriously covered in patterns to remind us to look at the ground we walk on.