Street Art Projects
Vibrant street art has replaced ugly graffiti tags across the City of Monash.
Council has supported the creation of these murals as it helps prevent graffiti and provide spaces for street art as a distinct art form. People who tag or graffiti buildings often respect the work of street artists and do not deface their work. Many of these projects have also received State Government funding.
You can find the murals in:
Westerfield Drive Mural
Melbourne muralist and artist Hayden Dewar, has partnered with First Nations artist Ashleigh Pugh to create a mural for Westerfield Drive Playspace in Notting Hill.
The artwork features two young children, their appearance reflecting the diverse cultural backgrounds of the local residents. The children are playing and discovering nature, with one feeding a rainbow lorikeet and holding a banksia flower and the other holding a blue tongue lizard and playing with a eucalyptus branch. They are playing in nature and imagining what the land might have looked like thousands of years ago.
The background features a pre-white settlement landscape with a detailed lyrebird in the centre. Although the bird isn’t local to the vicinity, their feathers had special ceremonial significance to the Bunurong people, who are the Traditional Owners of the Land. The Lyrebird is known for their impressive ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds and creating songs that reflect their local environment. Many Aboriginal stories speak of the lyrebird as being gifted this talent to talk to all other creatures.
The local community said they wanted the mural to reflect flora and fauna as well as a connection to First Nations people. The mural was funded by the Victorian Government through the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s Pocket Park Program and was launched in June 2022.
Mount Waverley Mural Project
In June 2019, a mural was completed in Mount Waverley (on the eastern wall of the Richie’s IGA Supermarket) on Stephensons Road.
Three community consultation sessions were held, including with Huntingtower School students and community members at the nearby bus stop, to inform the concept brief for an artist. The mural was completed by artist TWOONE and funded with a $30,000 Department of Justice Graffiti Prevention Grant. The grant also funded solar lighting to illuminate the mural and increase the perception of safety at the site, and education sessions delivered to local schools to increase awareness of choices and behaviour in relation to graffiti.
This mural completed a 3-year project in partnership with Huntingtower School, which began with Year 9 visual arts students conducting public consultation in 2016 and 2017 on local flora and fauna and the ancestry of residents. Marion Power, Head of Visual Arts at Huntingtower was instrumental in driving and completing this project, in partnership with the supermarket.
Laneway, Glen Waverley
A vibrant street art mural was created in 2018 in a laneway in Glen Waverley, behind the HSBC and CBA buildings between Railway Parade North and O'Sullivan Road.
The mural design by artist Scottie Neoh, aka “Bonsai”, drew on feedback from local residents and traders for a design featuring colour and nature. The mural was funded by a $25,000 Department of Justice Graffiti Prevention Grant.
Ashwood
In June 2017, artist Carla Gottgens painted a mural on the Warrigal Road bridge underpass, having developed the mural’s theme using ideas from a community workshop.
The local community said they wanted the mural to reflect the surrounding natural parklands, with native and green floral elements, trees, leaves and vegetation. Council received a $25,000 State Government grant for the project, which included the community workshop and three graffiti prevention education sessions in local schools.
Mulgrave Mural Project
Artist Hayden Dewar painted this mural on the Wanda St milk bar, having developed the mural’s theme using ideas from a community workshop.
The local community said they wanted the mural to represent the different cultures and ages of local people, as well as the green character of Mulgrave. Council received a $25,000 State Government grant for the project, which included the community workshop and three graffiti prevention education sessions in local schools.
Huntingdale Road, Chadstone
This mural on a milk bar wall in Huntingdale Road (near Jordanville train station) is designed around an image of the 1952 Jordanville/Ashwood supermarket.
Artists Andrew Bourke and James Beattie wanted to create a design that would engage local young people and the older generation.
The project was completed in June 2014 with funding from the Department of Justice.
Huntingdale Railway Station
Huntingdale residents took part in a community forum to help develop ideas for a street art mural at Huntingdale train station.
Council commissioned artist Niels (Nails) Oeltjen to design and create the mural with the wider community through organised workshops.
The Welcome to Huntingdale project was funded by Council and the State Government. It was undertaken in partnership with Victoria Police, Metro Trains, Monash University and the Monash Young Persons Reference Group.
Mary Street Laneways, Clayton
The Mary Street laneways in Clayton were revamped in late 2015, creating a safer and more attractive environment for residents and visitors.
The State Government contributed $250,000 towards the upgrade, while Monash Council contributed $117,000.
Three interconnecting laneways between Clayton and Carinish roads and Mary Street were upgraded, with vibrant street art created on walls and pathways, and more lighting, trees and public seating installed. The area at the rear of the Carinish Road shops will become a community event space with strategic tree plantings used to reduce reckless and hoon driving.
Ramps at the rear of Clayton Hall were also upgraded as part of the project to allow easier access for people visiting the hall.
Thomas Street, Clayton
This street art project in Clayton was part of a larger project to visually enhance the laneway, which also included installing new lighting, trees and street furniture.
This project was created with Council and State Government funding.