This mural project was a creative collaboration between Apsley Primary School and the Edenhope Artist Residency, aimed at bringing meaningful public art to the remote township of Apsley in Victoria’s West Wimmera region. Home to just over 30 students, the school fosters a warm and tight-knit environment, making it an ideal setting for a deeply collaborative, community-driven project.

I was invited to lead a month-long mural residency throughout May, engaging students, staff, and the wider community in the full design and painting process. From the outset, the goal was to create something that wasn’t just for the students, but by them — giving them agency, a creative outlet, and a sense of ownership over their own environment.

We began with two on-site workshops, where students explored ideas around community, nature, identity, and what makes Apsley Primary feel like home. The resulting drawings, phrases, and stories became the backbone of the mural design — reinforcing the original concept rather than steering it in a new direction. Their contributions gave the piece sharper clarity and deeper meaning.

The final mural unfolds across two exterior walls of the school:

• The front-facing wall features stylised local flora and fauna, framed by bold abstract forms that echo the landscape and natural rhythms of the region.

• The long side wall displays the phrase “Growing Together” in large hand-painted letters — a central message that emerged again and again in the workshops, reflecting the school’s culture of kindness, friendship, and collective learning.

The project culminated in an official unveiling and community BBQ on May 30th, attended by families, residents, and supporters from across the region.

This mural was made possible through generous paint support from Dulux, whose contribution ensured the final work was rich in colour and built to last.

For me, this was more than a mural — it was a chance to embed art into the heart of a rural community, using creativity as a tool for connection, identity, and celebration. The result is a joyful, site-specific artwork that will continue to grow in meaning as the students themselves grow — together.