Somerville Parkour Gym Mural
Commissioned by Mornington Peninsula Shire

This mural, completed for the Somerville Parkour Gym as part of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Arts and Culture program, presented one of the most technically challenging sites I’ve worked on to date. The gym's unique structure—featuring a network of irregular concrete blocks, low vertical planes, and climbing walls fitted with rock grips—required a highly considered and adaptive approach to design and execution.

In addition to the structural complexity, the site is exposed to constant wind, which made both painting and equipment management a logistical hurdle throughout the project. Despite the challenges, the result is an energetic and immersive artwork that snakes its way across the concrete surfaces, visually tying together disparate elements of the parkour course.

My creative aim was to craft a mural that not only responded to the architectural forms but actively encouraged interaction. On one side, the mural winds through the blocky structures, while on the climbing wall, it becomes part of the play experience. Stylised snakes and spiders were included to introduce a sense of ‘risky play’—prompting children and young people to imagine themselves navigating and escaping the creepy crawlies as they moved through the space. This element of fantasy and fun helps turn the gym into a living, narrative-rich environment.

The final result balances function and creativity, adding character and energy to a much-used community facility. It’s a mural that doesn’t just decorate a space—it becomes part of how the space is used, explored, and enjoyed.

Somerville Skatepark

Location: Somerville, Mornington Peninsula

Medium: Spray Paint

Dimensions: 2.6mH x 12mW

Date: September 2023