Warrnambool Street Art
Warrnambool has a thriving street art scene with world class murals and installations. The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of major artworks added to the Warrnambool CBD and its surrounds.
See the online map showing the location of the artwork. New pieces are constantly being created, so keep your eyes peeled for surprise additions on your walk!
Some of the artwork includes:
Ngeerrang and Ngart (Mothers and Daughters)
by Fiona Clarke and Trish McKean
Ngeerrang and Ngart (Mothers and Daughters) was designed and created by Kirrae Whurrong artists Fiona Clarke and Trish McKean who collaborated with children at the South Warrnambool Kindergarten and with indigenous preschool educator Bronwyn Ferguson.
Location: 24 Stanley Street
Sandpiper and Water Wise Murals
Indigenous culture and the importance of water for life are the focus of two community murals at Lake Pertobe.
The murals are a joint project between Wannon Water and Warrnambool City Council and have given the lake's sewer pump station a vibrant makeover. Designed by Warrnambool artist Ella Webb, the two large artworks are in a series of panels painted with help from primary school students as part of the city's Healthy Moves Program and supported by the Laka Gunditj Language Project.
One mural recognises local indigenous culture, stories and language, which is a key objective of the council's Lake Pertobe Masterplan and depicts small sandpiper birds in the environment. The name Lake Pertobe is thought to have come from the word "pirtup", meaning small sandpiper.
The second mural is designed to increase community understanding of sustainability issues and highlight the importance of water in our environment.
Location: Lake Pertobe
Fox and Penguins
by Jimmi Buscombe, Alara Harris and Gareth Colliton
Have you ever wanted to pat a Little Penguin? Or maybe stand guard between a fragile penguin colony and a vicious fox. This is the next best thing.
This work was created with pastels and from most angles, looks somewhat distorted. However, if you stand in the right spot, the optical illusion kicks in, with the penguins and fox seemingly popping out of the pavement.
This naturally lends itself to all manner of photo opportunities, and everyone has been having a great time interacting with the artwork.
Location: In the laneway behind Fishtales restaurant, knows as "Little Liebig".
Artists Society Mural
This mural depicts various scenes from Warrnambool's history, from its original indigenous inhabitants through to the Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic and some of our city's historic buildings.
Location: Warrnambool and District Artists Society at 4 Coramba Court, South Warrnambool.
Culvert Mural
by Bonsai, multiple artists
The reconstruction of the culvert under Mortlake Road in North Warrnambool paved the way for two of the city's most engrossing pieces of street art.
Street artist and former Warrnambool resident Scottie "Bonsai" Neoh adorned both sides of the "Blue" pedestrian underpass with whales, fish and birds. The work was completed ahead of the culvert's reopening in September 2014.
The "Orange" culvert was created in January 2015 as part of a street art workshop run by Bonsai and fellow professionals Hiroyasu "TwoOne" Tsuri, David "Ghostpatrol" Booth and Jun Inoue.
A team of local artists eager to learn more about street art and the process of mural painting combined with the four instructors to create a fascinating mural which contrasts wonderfully with Bonsai's original mural.
Location: 9 Mortlake Road
Lake Pertobe Maze Mural
The Lake Pertobe maze is looking better than ever thanks to four renowned street artists and a cohort of community helpers.
Former Warrnambool resident Scottie "Bonsai" Neoh was flanked by fellow professionals Hiroyasu "TwoOne" Tsuri, David "Ghostpatrol" Booth and Jun Inoue for a three-day workshop to share their skills and expertise with aspiring mural artists.
The workshops culminated in the repainting of the iconic maze with the assistance of local artists Nathan Pye, Jim Maglaras and Jessica Meggs, plus 150 kids were also invited to grab a spray can and add some colour.
Bonsai contributed to the original decoration of the maze as a 17 year old in January 2000.
Location: Near 120 Pertobe Road
Little Liebig Murals
by Ella Webb, Jessica Meggs, Clontarf Academy, community members
Once a dreary, nameless laneway, Little Liebig is now home to more murals than any other place in Warrnambool. The blue ocean-themed mural was painted by Jessica Meggs in 2015 and ties in superbly with Nathan Pye's fish mural.
Ella Webb worked with a range of community members from school students to senior citizens to create the other three murals in the laneway.
Location: Little Liebig lane.
Grizzly Adams Bear
by Nathan Pye
Can a bear look like it's from the '80s? Set against a dark, mountainous background, the grizzly bear in this mural appears to be bathed in neon blue and pink light. Is the artist trying to portray a message that if we continue to exploit our planet, animals like grizzly bears will become the subjects of nostalgia?
In the same way that 1982's Blade Runner was originally misunderstood and mistreated by many, with its significance only becoming apparent years after the dust had settled, is Nathan warning us that this could be the fate of the world's bears?
Location: In Ozone Walk on the wall of Grizzly Adams Barbers.
Patloch Lane Mural
by Nathan Pye
Nathan's giant fish has proved a popular and colourful addition to Patloch Lane, off Liebig Street. Nathan created the aquatic artwork during the 2014 Wunta Fiesta with hundreds of attendees enjoying the artist at work.
Location: Patloch Lane (75 Liebig Street)
Kookaburra
Location: End of lane near 63 Kepler Street.
Once Women Won the Vote
by Marie Cook, Danielle O'Brien and Francis van der Mark
Once Women Won the Vote commemorates the women's suffragette movement and an 1891 petition which called for Victorian women to have the same voting rights as men.
Warrnambool had a particularly high percentage of its women sign the petition, which was nicknamed the "monster petition" due to its size.
Created in 2018, the mural was part of a larger exhibition (also called "Once Women Won the Vote") at the Warrnambool Art Gallery.
Location: The Warrnambool Art Gallery, 26 Liebig Street
Koontapool Blue Whale Mother
by Kate Gane and Fiona Clarke
Location: Patloch Lane (75 Liebig Street)
Wombat Bridge Mural
by Jimmi Buscombe
Artist Jimmi Buscombe drew the wombat seemingly burrowing through the Otway Road rail overpass with chalk, and only intended for it to be temporary. Phil Hoy, a former Warrnambool City Council graffiti removal contractor, liked the artwork so much that he applied an automotive clear coat to it, essentially making it permanent. Jimmi, unaware of Phil's actions, returned after two days to wash off the mural and much to his surprise, was unable to. He eventually found out what had happened, and he shared a good laugh with Phil. While Jimmi did not have permission to create the artwork, after explaining the situation to Council, they were more than happy to let the piece remain.
Location: 75 Otway Road
Southern Ocean Dream
by David Higgins
David Higgins' stunning 30m creation was the culmination of the Hidden Histories Laneway Festival. Running from January until May 2014, the festival explored the potential of Warrnambool's laneways with activities, events and artistic installations.
Location: Timor Walk, which links Timor Street to the popular Ozone car park.
The Guardians
by Shona Nunan
Standing 2.2 metres, the bronze figures were created by former Victorian artist Shona Nunan, who is now based in Italy.
Location: The figures stand guard at the entrance of the Warrnambool Art Gallery, 26 Liebig Street
Our Story Water Tank Murals
by Claire Foxton
Claire Foxton created the "Our Story" mural in October 2018. Sitting proudly on the on the West Warrnambool Water Towers, this stunning piece profiles the journey of three local immigrants and former refugees. Through exploring the challenges and successes of various migrant groups in this region, Our Story celebrates the rich and diverse social tapestry of the Great South Coast. The three migrants/refugees depicted in the murals are:
Kaninda Bijimba who endured 17 years in African refugee camps.
Dharshini Suntharam is a Tamil who fled Sri Lanka in 2012
Dora Adair who escaped "the troubles" in Belfast Ireland.
Location: Victoria Park, 14 Aitkins Road
3 Pillars of Gratification
by Ewen Coates
This provocative piece of public art features bronze busts of three humanoids indulging in a pie, pasty and sausage roll. Artist Ewen Coates said that the aim of the artwork was to draw attention to social problems such as over-indulgence and stress.
Location: Intersection of Liebig and Koroit Streets.
East Warrnambool Whale Mural
by Robert Ulmann
One of Warrnambool's oldest murals, the late Robert Ulmann painted his iconic whale mural in 1989. Portraying a Southern Right whale and calf, it also includes a map to Robert's studio in Allansford, which is still open to the public.
Location: The mural adorns the southern wall of East Warrnambool Fish and Chips on the corner of Flaxman and Nicholson Streets.
Where's the Water?
by Julie Squires
A colony of seven bronze Little Penguins. Warrnambool is well-known for its penguin colony, with the success of the movie Oddball helping to take this fame to new heights. Each penguin is different and each has its own personality.
Location: Can be found perched atop a sandstone wall in Liebig Street.
Archie Roach and Banjo Clarke Mural
by Madeleine Peters and Trish McKean
For many people, a family portrait involves itchy jumpers and a grey cloth backdrop. For Year 11 student Trish McKean, her family portrait saw her work with Madeleine Peters to create a public mural for everyone to enjoy. This artwork depicts two south-west icons: Henry "Banjo" Clarke and Archie Roach, who are Trish's grandfather and second cousin respectively.
Location: Near 164 Timor Street
Piece by Piece
by multiple artists
Over 100 people from the Warrnambool Special Developmental School, Vantage, Southern Way Direct Care Services, Karingal and Warrnambool East Primary School teamed up to create the 6m mural. The mosaic took eight months to complete, with the finished piece unveiled in November 2011. The composition reflects the artists' experiences of Warrnambool and the region.
Location: Situated on Lava St near the intersection with Liebig St in the heart of the Warrnambool CBD.
Seal
by Dave Jones
It's no surprise that a sculpture by someone named Davey Jones would have an oceanic theme. "Seal" stands an impressive three metres tall and appears to be erupting from the pavement
Location: 86 Liebig Street
Ngatanwarr (Welcome) Mural
by world renowned artist 'Adnate'
The mural incorporates information detailing significant cultural sites and narratives of the Gunditjmara and Great South Coast region.
Location: Corner of Merri and Kepler Street.
Hidden Histories Trilogy
by Tom Pendergast, Gareth Colliton, Jenny Altmann, Gayle Hill Clark and Alex Rees
Gareth's mural depicting Selkies playing in front of the Triton Crane, as it builds the Warrnambool breakwater and Tom's purple creation (both based on Irish Mythology, an important part of the cultural heritage of the region) were part of the inaugural festival event in January while Jenny, Gayle and Alex teamed up in April to create an artwork representing iconic local sites including Lake Pertobe and Lady Bay.
Location: The murals are situated side by side in Ozone Walk, which links Koroit St to the Ozone car park.
in Spirit
by Jimmi Buscombe
Stretching for an impressive 32 metres, this mural features yellow-tailed black cockatoos against an azure sky. Jimmi explained that when he moved to Warrnambool, the thing that struck him most was the birdlife. Yellow-tailed black cockatoos mate for life, which can be over 50 years, and they will care for each other well into their old age, even after they can no longer reproduce.
Location: 169 Koroit Street
Hai Bin Alleyway Mural
by Shaun McIntyre
This mural was one of the first officially sanctioned pieces of street art in the Warrnambool CBD.
Location: Located in an unnamed laneway next the former Hai Bin Restaurant on Liebig St (near 75 Liebig Street)
Web Links
→ www.warrnamboolstreetart.com
→ Storytowns Street Map and Brochure (PDF)
