New public art adds vibrancy to Horsham streetscape

Published on 20 April 2021

Horsham Rural City Council is set to launch two new public artworks on Firebrace Street next month. 

The artworks ‘Wimmera Garden’ and ‘Nurrabiel’ add vibrancy to Horsham’s Central Activity District and celebrate the local landscape, its flora and fauna.

Taking place at 5.30pm on Tuesday 11 May, the launch will be conducted as a 500m walk that connects the two artwork sites.

The event will start at the corner of Firebrace and Pynsent Streets, where two of Horsham’s newest street artists, sisters Lani and Freya Jones have created a new work, titled ‘Wimmera Garden’ which depicts flora and native birds local to the region.

“Our ideas have been inspired by our experiences out walking and climbing in Gariwerd (Grampians) and Dyurrite, (Mt Arapiles),” the Jones sisters explained.

The walk will finish at the newly completed mural ‘Nurrabiel’ by artist Stacey Rees.

This work is an abstract impression of the natural and abundantly rich swamplands of Nurrabiel, Telangatuk and Toolondoo, located south of Horsham where Rees grew up.

“As a child, the beauty of the landscape often went unnoticed. Now as an adult, I see it through a more mindful lens. It’s a special place and a place which holds plenty of precious memories,” said Rees in her artist statement.

Mayor Robyn Gulline says Council is committed to developing Horsham and the municipality as a diverse, inclusive and vibrant community. 

“Public art and street art has an increasingly important role to play in activating and enhancing the liveability and experience of our natural and urban environments,” Cr Gulline said.

“Council would like to acknowledge PowerCor and local businesses at the top end of Firebrace Street for their support of the installation of the two new public artworks.”

The artists of both ‘Wimmera Garden’ and ‘Nurrabiel’ were chosen through a community expression of interest process run by Council’s Public Art Advisory Committee in late 2020. 

The launch of the two new artworks will also visit public art assets from previous Council commissions including ‘Writing on the Wall’ (2013) by Mars Drum, Roberts Place Street Activation Project (2020-21),  ‘Wimmera Burnt Creek Meeting Place’ by Glenn Romanis (2007), Painted Tiles by Students of 5 Primary Schools (1997), Bradbury Lane Mural (2008) by Nichola Clarke, Post Office Bell (2008) by Dr Anton Hasell and ‘Aerial’ (2009) created by Dónal Molloy-Drum and students of McKenzie Creek Campus of Horsham College.

Pictured: 'Nurrabiel' by Stacey Rees in Jos Lane, Horsham