About The Artwork

These works were created in collaboration with Mount Austin High School students and designed over 3 workshops in November 2023.

Each design aims to reflect the landscapes, flora and fauna found around the Wagga Wagga region. Interspersed throughout are elements of traditional First Nations design and dreaming.

Students were encouraged to take a bird's eye view of the area, as the viewer would when walking along each footpath.

Each work leads the viewer from place to place as they move from outter space, to river, scrub and lagoon. These areas are punctuated with native plants and animals occupying the regions in which they'd naturally be found.

Through this design artist Damien Mitchell hopes to convey the pride these students have for their home.

Dove Street to Hunter Street: This laneway features vibrant colours and flora and fauna spreading down the laneway. HIghlights are the Sturt Desert Pea, a Currawong spreading its wings, large gumnuts, and the planets in space.

Northcott Parade to Scherger Place: This 80m long laneway is the largest of the artworks and has many details to be seen as you walk along. Highlights are a koala floating through space, a large snake winding its way along the path and transitioning in an out of the river, turtles, frogs, and banksias.

Short Street to Bungowin Place & Phillip Avenue to Mimosa Drive: These grassed laneways have smaller artworks painted on the bollards at each end of the laneways. These bollards feature insects crawling through dotted patterns.

Artist Damien Mitchell grew up in Wagga Wagga and has delivered murals and public artworks across the world including Melbourne, Prague and New York.  He specialises in large-scale realistic murals and enjoyed the opportunity to come back to Wagga Wagga and inspire the next generation of artists.