Merri Creek Art Trail 1/7
Superb Fairy Wren (Podargus strigoides),
Meadow Argus (Junonia villida) &
Hop Goodenia (Goodenia ovata)

Location: Moomba Park, Fawkner

Merri Creek Art Trail

Merri-Bek City Council / Arts and Culture

In Autumn 2024, I was honoured to be selected as one of the contributing artists for the Merri Creek Art Trail, a public art initiative celebrating the cultural, ecological, and historical significance of Merri Creek. I was commissioned to create a series of site-specific murals integrated into the urban and natural landscape.

My contribution spans seven mural sites, painted on the concrete pads beneath newly installed park benches. These pads are part of a thoughtfully designed infrastructure encouraging rest, reflection, and sensory engagement with the creek’s environment—through sight, sound, and touch.

The project brief invited artists to explore themes of place, ecology, and community. My response focused on the localised food chains and ecological networks that thrive along the creek. Each mural highlights a key endemic species, paired with its primary food source and a native floral species that plays a supporting role in that mini-ecosystem. From pollinators to birds and insects, these painted pairings tell subtle but vital stories of interconnection, adaptation, and the shared life force running through Merri Creek.

This project allowed me to work at the intersection of environmental education and public art, crafting pieces that are visually engaging but also rich with ecological meaning. Working outdoors over the winter months added another layer of connection to the site—each brushstroke was laid down in the same conditions the subjects live in.

This series continues my passion for place-based storytelling, encouraging viewers to look closer, learn, and appreciate the ecosystems we often overlook in our urban spaces.

Location: Merri Creek Trail (Fawkner to Brunswick East)

Medium: Acrylic paint

Dimensions: 5mW x 2.5mH (x7)

Date: June-September 2024