A quick weekend away to have a look at the Wellington Dam wall mural as it is being painted and to see the new (and existing) murals in Collie. The new ones are part of the Collie Mural Trail that starts with the Wellie Dam wall mural. More info is available here. The photos below are captioned with the number on the map (click the link in the previous sentence). Also a few thoughts from me in each caption …
Number 1 from above. There are two people there painting. Zoomed in a bit on the artist. It’s a long way up and there is a lot left to paint. Number 1. Zoomed in on the artist. Number 2, at Wellie Dam. It is painted on a shade shelter overlooking the dam. More of number 2. Number 1 and 2 in the same photo. A small part of the dam wall. What I really like is the way the mural colours match the colours of the rocks at the base of the dam. More from the base of the dam wall. A panorama of the dam wall from the base. Number 3, the first pump house. This is also the first red claw and the site of our picnic the first time we were in Collie. The other side of number 3. Number 4. One of the red claws, a fresh water yabbi, like a lobster or shellfish. I quite like this but it would be good to see the whole thing in full sunlight. It’s really big. Part of number 5. It’s all painted on the ground at the information centre. Number 6 in its entirety. A small part of number 6. I like kangaroo paws (the plant) and magpies (the bird, called kulbardi in local language). Another part of number 6. Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree. Number 7. I love black cockatoos. The black cockie got Mambo Mans hat! All of number 8. Apparently each person is a real person who was from Collie in World War 1. One of my favourite murals. Also the favourite of the volunteer at the railway museum. Old mate flipping the 2 up coin. It’s part of number 8. This is part of number 8. The 4 services, army, navy, airforce and nurses. Nurses are often left out. This is on the wall of the RSL. Number 8 “Have I shown you the picture of my wife and daughter?” Number 8 again. Carrying the wounded off the battle field. Part of number 8. Despite its size there is detail in the features of the life size people. One of two at number 9. I think it’s about transportation over time … The other part of number 9. One of two at number 10. Part two of number 10. Number 11. Number 12. Initially I was scathing of this but then I stood back and had a look. It rapidly became my favourite. There are pictures in the picture. As you can see, it is massive. A numbat within number 12 Number 13. In my top 3. I like the picture within the picture. You can see it better in the other picture of this mural. By the way, for non Australians this is a goanna or a perenti. Can you see the picture within the picture of number 13 Number 14. It took us a while to find this, despite it’s size! Our least favourite, number 15. Number 16, the second pump house.
There are a few other pre-existing murals and paintings around town. Where I know anything about them, I have added a caption.
This one is 20 years old, at the old railway station. This is by the same artist that did the RSL mural.