My brief for this mural was to paint something “nostalgic and reminiscent of times gone by,” and Miami — now known as Falcon in Mandurah — provided no shortage of inspiration.
Back in the day, Miami was a major holiday and surf destination, with locals and families flocking in from Perth during the summer. Many people caught their first waves here, and surfers would roll in for a day trip, filling up the car park with their beloved Holdens.
Classic photos and stories from Surfing Down South and Bruce Ellis’s book, Mandurah Surf: The Characters and the Coast, along with my own memories, all played a part in inspiring this piece.
I'd love to come back and fill up the rest of the wall at Cobblers Falcon with even more local memories of Miami — especially the car park! Let me know your classic Miami memories in the comments!
We traveled to Babinda, located in Far North Queensland, to paint a mural on the walls of the Babinda Museum, paying tribute to the town's sugar cane farming history.
Known as the wettest town in Australia, Babinda's climate and fertile soil fostered a booming sugar cane industry that began in the late 19th century. This industry not only shaped the local economy but also influenced Babinda’s social and cultural fabric, contributing to its growth and identity.
In designing the mural, Ange and I were assisted by the amazing volunteers from the Babinda Taskforce and Museum. Their wealth of knowledge and access to fascinating historical archives and displays showcasing relics and tools from the industry's heyday were invaluable.
With just one week to paint a 15-meter tribute piece, I chose to highlight the resilience of farmers and families from the pre-mechanization era. Back then, the horse and plough were essential, and sugar cane was meticulously cut by hand by cutter gangs working in harsh conditions. Not only was the work physically demanding, there was the added threat of infection and disease, particularly leptospirosis from rat urine commonly found in the cane fields.
Smoking cigarettes in the field while sweating wasn't ideal!
Despite these challenges, the whole family often got involved—women hand-stripped the cane, and children, when not assisting, enjoyed sinking their teeth into fresh chunks of sugar cane.
The mural depicts a typical season in Babinda: cutting, milling, and replanting, concluding with the "slack"—a time for crop growth, maintenance and a chance for the lucky ones to take a holiday.
We had an epic time in Babinda, especially during our "slack," when we explored the tropical rainforests, relaxed in the creeks, visited the iconic Boulders, and enjoyed the amazing hospitality and campgrounds.
A big thank you to everyone for having us!
Make sure to stop by Babinda, grab a pie at the iconic Babinda Bakery and check out the mural and museum at Babinda Museum. If you’re camping, there are plenty of great options—we stayed at the Babinda Rainforest Farm, which we can't recommend enough!
Painted during the 2024 Big Red Bash,
Jimmy Barnes and Casey Chambers
A tribute to Henry Boddington, with ArtByDestroy
The town of Boddington owes its namesake to a young shepherd, Henry Boddington, who grazed his sheep upon the banks of the Hotham River.
Shepherds were a critical component of the early wool industry in colonial Australia and persisted even after fencing was adopted and rapidly spread in the later nineteenth century.
Shepherds were often paid in rations of meat, flour, sugar, tea and tobacco, with damper being part of their staple diet.
I've always been fascinated by stories of the early pioneers and the harsh conditions that they endured, I imagine a few moments of peace next to warm fire is all that was needed as motivation to push forward.
Thanks for having us Boddington!
ArtByDestroy and I caught up with local publican Nik, at the Federal Hotel earlier this year to plan his vision for a painting of some of his favorite local Freo and Aussie legends all having "one for the road" And Here she is!
Many thanks to Nik for looking after us during our stay and thanks to the friendly staff at The Federal Hotel.
When the City of Perth asked for expressions of interest to paint a mural on the old Harper’s Building in Wolf Lane I knew it’d be a great opportunity to pay homage to some characters of yesteryear.
Inspired by Perth’s history and the entertainment style of the time I came up with a scene that tied the eclectic mix of personalities together.
The artwork depicts a snapshot of a comical yet calamitous sequence of events involving the historical tenants of the Harper Building in Wolf Lane.
You can see Nathaniel Harper overlooking what should’ve been a mundane collection of a Maple’s piano. Surely it couldn’t be that easy though…
See if you can work out what’s happening in the scene or better yet head on down to Wolf Lane to experience it first hand.
Watch this space for updates.
I teamed up with ArtByDestroy and dived into the books ”Recollections from the Coast” and “Between Beach and Bush” by local author Chris Holyday who chronicled the local coastline and the early days of North Beach.
His photos and stories inspired me to paint the “good old days” which was also a poem written by Chris's Granma that talked about growing up in North Beach.
One aspect of the beach's history that caught my attention was the North Beach Jetty and its many shapes and sizes throughout the years. In its heyday from 1927 onwards, the Jetty spanned more than 70 meters and would attract fishermen, local swimmers and tourists from all over.
This was during the period that the North Beach Surf Live Saving Club was first formed, when the lifeguards were busy watching over visitors running and jumping off the extended pier and battling waves below. An Annual Christmas/New Year Carnival was also in full swing, with events such as sand castle building, egg and spoon races and surf-dancing contests. Aaaah the good old days!
I teamed up with ArtByDestroy and dived into the books ”Recollections from the Coast” and “Between Beach and Bush” by local author Chris Holyday who chronicled the local coastline and the early days of North Beach.
His photos and stories inspired me to paint the “good old days” which was also a poem written by Chris's Granma that talked about growing up in North Beach.
One aspect of the beach's history that caught my attention was the North Beach Jetty and its many shapes and sizes throughout the years. In its heyday from 1927 onwards, the Jetty spanned more than 70 meters and would attract fishermen, local swimmers and tourists from all over.
This was during the period that the North Beach Surf Live Saving Club was first formed, when the lifeguards were busy watching over visitors running and jumping off the extended pier and battling waves below. An Annual Christmas/New Year Carnival was also in full swing, with events such as sand castle building, egg and spoon races and surf-dancing contests. Aaaah the good old days!
ArtbyDestroy and I painted 150 years of Bunbury Turf Club history right time for their re-opening after a 2.5 year spell. The artwork pays tribute to some of Western Australia's much-loved jockeys and trainers of the past.
A tribute to the Landor Races
Looking through the old Photo Album at Bullara Station drew me straight to the pictures of the Old Station hands and Afghan Cameleers... I couldn't fathom the challenges and adversity that they would have faced.
Camel Trains would cart the enormous loads of wool from the Station all the way to Carnarvon, braving the heat and the unforgiving nature of the Outback. This is my tribute to them!
Shakey for the 2023 Muster, painted the “Muster Truck” which celebrates the excitement and thrills experienced at the Mullewa Muster and Rodeo as well as immortalising some of their favourite characters such as Stewart Mongoo and Craig Pickett
This mural tells the local stories of the “The Baker Boys”, which was the real-life tale of three brothers from Coollup who all went to fight in the Great War, with only one returning, and “Ethel McKay”, a local war nurse whose sister married the returning Baker brother, and whose family still live in the area.
War is endured by the servicemen and women that serve and fight on the fronts but also every community member at home, including the Mothers and Children that are left behind.
Every year Kondinin holds an Anzac Dawn Service that attracts hundreds of people to Yeerakine Rock to watch the sunrise and pay their respects. To accompany the service, a Light Horse Monument was erected in 2015, the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli, to symbolise the commitment & sacrifices of all serving personnel who came from the wheatbelt region.
The mural is painted on the water tank alongside the monument and tells the story of a soldier leaving his family during the drought of 1914 to sail from Fremantle to serve as a soldier in the Great War, his life as a soldier & his eventual return home.
Painting the mural proved to be quite challenging due to the constant strong winds and heat, which don’t mix well with spray paint! The spray-can featured in the mural video was one of the many that randomly exploded due to the high temperatures.
The biggest challenge was condensing the madness of World War 1 into a handful of images. The imagery painted came about after research and consultation with the local community members and historians. It’s impossible to include every angle and story, so here are few insights:
First settlers came to the Kondinin area in 1910 & in the years prior to World War I the pioneer farmers toiled to clear their land & were looking forward to harvesting their small acreages sown. However, these early farmers were struck by the misfortune of a drought (one of the driest ever recorded) and the advent of the war in close succession.
Due to the disastrous drought in the season of 1913-1914 and the advent of World War One, land development around Kondinin & other wheatbelt areas slowed down. Many of the early residents joined the armed forces and labour became scarce. Some of those who enlisted were able to make arrangements for somebody to look after their properties during their absence, but others not being able to arrange this, simply walked off their properties to answer the call to arms.
Two thirds of Australians that answered the call to arms in World War I became casualties and this had a long-lasting effect on them, their families and society.
Many soldiers of the Wheatbelt left their families at their newly established farms and went straight to the Black Boy Hill Training Camp (near Greenmount), before departing to war from Albany or Fremantle Port. The Sykes brothers (Eustace, Bert and Reg), were one such family. There is a reference to them in the mural where you can see three men boarding at a dock. This is representative of similar family commitments.
Members of the 10th Light Horse Regiment trained at various locations including Guildford, Claremont Showground & Rockingham before embarking for Egypt.
The Australian Light Horse were a skilled formation of mounted infantry. The men fought at Gallipoli (without their horses) and mostly served in Egypt and the Middle East. The unit contributed to the Allied victory against the Ottoman Empire in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign.
When attempting to depict the Light Horseman, I was fixated on the bravery and toughness that characterized these men as well as the bond that they had with their horses.
I digested movies, library archives, books and online journals for inspiration in order to depict Light Horse men accurately. A lot of the time the imagery that I came across contained no context or background information.
What I found particularly sad about the Light Horse Regiment in World War 1 was that none of the horses who accompanied the soldiers returned home. The horses would make the journey to war from farms or other locations. Surviving hell, their fate would be a cruel death in a foreign land. Knowing that the horses would be sold off to various Arab people & poorly cared for, some soldiers would choose to walk their horses into the desert, rifle in hand to offer them a better end to their life. I wanted to pay tribute to the special bond that the soldiers had with their horses.
I was stunned after being contacted by the family of the soldier depicted with his horse, as I since found out the soldier depicted was former President and Troop Sergeant Luke Dowell of the 7th Light Horse Gudagai Troop. Luke’s family was grateful that I came across his image and recognised his strong connection to his horse and portrayed it within the mural.
The Great War was said to be the war that ends all wars which is described in Eric Bogle’s song Green Fields of France. The lyrics of the song are depicted written by a soldier in reflection after witnessing the atrocities of the war.
It is estimated that 1000 to 1300 indigenous soldiers served in the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, of whom around 250 to 300 made the ultimate sacrifice. Pictured in the mural is a tribute to indigenous soldier “Lewis Beaky Collard” who became a runner in the front lines in France in WW1, 1914. Beaky is pictured leaving behind him the graveyards of Gallipoli. Beaky has relatives living in Kondinin.
Tens of thousands of allied soldiers died on the Gallipoli Peninsular. When Christians, Jews or Indian Muslims died, they were buried, whenever possible either in cemeteries or isolated graves behind the front lines. If they died in battle, they were often left where they died as it was too dangerous to collect their bodies. In one instance, in May, an armistice was organised to bury the dead in no man’s land. These men were generally buried in mass graves in old trenches or ditches. Men who died on hospital ships were buried at sea. Sikhs and Gurkhas were often cremated.
Depicted is one of the few that made it home to his farm in the Wheatbelt. Unfortunately for the returned soldiers, life didn't get much easier...
The pioneers who came in or before 1914 no doubt expected to have reasonable security within five or ten years. World War 1 and the drought came upon them before their plans could progress. Conditional Purchase was in operation before the war, and after the war soldiers had blocks reserved for them (Soldier Settlement Scheme). Soldiers returning to their farms or other employment often had injuries & or diseases from their war service, post traumatic stress disorder (at that time titled “shell shock”) & issues relating to reconnecting with family & community.
Some positivity during the war on the home front included the railway arriving during March 1915 & a primary school opening mid - 1917.
Post war, existing farms continued being developed & with new farmland opening up & the establishment of businesses, Kondinin’s population grew.
Our dream is to travel around Australia capturing grassroots community events that define, liven and support outback communities. They are integral to our Western Australian identity and culture. A culture no one should want to see fade into time.
Ange will document these iconic events with her camerawork and I will be working on a mural in each town we visit to leave our mark and form a mural trail.
A trail that will inspire others to holiday in their own backyard and experience the same magic we did along our meandering route. In turn providing these rural communities with much needed support.
Outback and community driven events in Australia are pivotal in supporting local towns and communities especially in an era of struggling small businesses and an exodus of people from the bush.
Events such as the Kulin Bush Races have literally transformed the town and surrounding communities. The races wouldn’t be possible without hundreds of hard working volunteers who make the events so special. It is truly inspiring to see them get around their communities.
This is just one mural on our trail.
Thanks so much to Kulin and the Kulin Bush Races for believing in us and allowing us to capture the iconic event.
Please share or tag in a mate so we can get the word out to other events and communities so you can help us paint in a town near you.
Minnie Hodgson was born in Perth WA, on 16th August 1908, daughter of John & Contrary Hodgson, later living on the family farm near Yealering. Minnie attended Yealering & West Leederville state schools & completed her secondary education at Presbyterian Ladies’ College & Methodist Ladies’ College. She (then 21) began nurse training at the Children’s Hospital (later becoming Princess Margaret Hospital) and then nursed at the King Edward Memorial Hospital. Minnie returned to the country, nursing at various Wheatbelt Hospitals & prior to her enlistment was the Matron at the Kondinin & Districts Hospital.
Minnie was among 65 nurses onboard the SS Vyner Brooke, the last ship carrying evacuees from Singapore, when it was bombed by the Japanese.
About 150 survivors, including 22 nurses, washed up on Bangka Island.
Despite surrendering to the Japanese, the men were shot and bayoneted, and the women were forced to wade into the sea, where they were then shot from behind.
Only one nurse, Vivian Bullwinkel, survived the massacre. Shot through the hip, she feigned death and floated on the tide. Though Vivian spent the next three years interned in a POW camp, she lived to tell the tale. The only reason we know what happened on Radji beach that day is because she survived.
Of the 65 Australian Army nurses on that fateful Vyner Brooke ship, only 24 returned home to Australia. There were five Western Australian nurses on the Vyner Brooke; one drowned at sea, the other four were killed at Radji beach including Minnie Ivy Hodgson, aged just 33 years.
Minnie has no known grave. However, she is commemorated at the Kranji War Memorial at the War Cemetery in Singapore and at memorials at the Australia War Memorial, King’s Park, Banka Island and at Bicton.
Thanks to Kondinin Community Recreation Council and Kondinin Arts Group for making this happen.
Bringing the Collie timber workers back to life.
This crew were in charge of cutting the sleepers for the WA rail in the early 1900s
“Kwobidak koondarm”
(Beautiful dreams in English) is the name given to this mural by Bianca and Ijah Coyle, the parents of the three sisters who are painted In this mural.
My intention was to paint a mural for the younger generation of Collie that reflects setting out on your own journey in life but doing it with pride and always having your culture and your traditions close to your heart.
Under the guidance and consultation with local elder Joe Northover, Ange and I were given the opportunity to meet and collaborate with a beautiful young family in Collie and capture three beautiful young sisters at Minninup Pools, a sacred place and resting place of the Ngangungudditj Walgu.
Thank you @Joe Northover Joe, Bianca, Ijah and your family for collaborating with us and everyone who helped make this mural come to life
In memory of those lives lost while working on the Collie Coalfields
Pictured left to right:
C Hedison, G Wilson, Ray Fearn, Unknown, Unknown, George Motion, M Dodd and A Lymbrey. December 1937
Thanks to Vicki and Ron Guilfoyle and Synergy
DOCKERS X BANKWEST X SHAKEY
I began my journey into becoming a painter whilst I was a wharfie in Freo. On my days off I would draw on the chalk boards of Jac and the Bean. It was an evolving mural full of characters of the The Bell Tower Times and local identities, many of whom were some of the stars of the Dockers. I was stoked to be able to paint something official for the Dockers years later for their new partnership with Bankwest. An absolute mind-bender of a task, tackling the container corrugations in a 3 day turnaround, but the team behind me made it all worth it!
Celebrating 100 years of Herne Hill Primary School
Herne Hill Primary School Centenary (Modern)
x Shakey x
- Inclusivity and Diversity Mural
Gighlighting the school's wonderful range of ethnic diversity and the positive contribution they make to the community.
Painted on the farm fresh water tank
Painted for the City of Kwinana in Medina:
Margaret Feilman was Kwinana's first Town Planner, she planned the first suburbs of Medina, Orelia and Calista in the early 1950's and was passionate about the flora of the South West of Western Australia.
At 16, Margaret became the state's first female architectural cadet. But, she soon realised that designing buildings wasn't enough. Margaret wanted to design the whole town. After returning from England, she was asked to design the new town of Kwinana in the early 1950s. Kwinana was going to be built close to the new oil refinery. Margaret said that the fumes from the refinery would make people sick, but the government did not believe her. When the officials came to see the site, Margarete demonstrated the wind direction by burning tires on Kwinana beach and the town site was moved. Margaret got to know Kwinana's landscape by putting on her boots and walking through the thick bushland. Margaret did not want to just design a town, she wanted to create a happy community. She retained the best natural features and designed the streets so that families could easily walk to the shops and schools.
"Good Town Planning is about connecting people to the land"
Margaret's quote was delivered to a group of planning students at Curtin University in the early 2000's. It illustrates her belief that when you include the natural environment in town planning you will sow the seed for a more cohesive community.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO AND PHOTOS
It was an honor to paint the Collie RSL Mural for the recent Collie Art Trail.
When researching for the mural, I was struck with the profound impact that the War had on Collie and it’s people. It has been said that Collie sent more of it’s population to War (on a per capita basis) than any other community in Australia.
Instead of focusing on the devastating side of War, I wanted to create a tribute for the veterans. An uplifting piece that focuses on comraderie, mateship and the loyalty that each soldier had for one another before, during and after the war.
I chose the iconic game of Two-Up as the driver behind the first part of the mural. The game of two-up has been played by Australian Soldiers as far back as WW1, whenever there was a lull in the fighting, soldiers would escape the horrors of war with a friendly game of two-up. The game played an important part in mateship.
The Mural depicts ‘Collie Boys’ from all wars as well as Coal Miners, crowded around a game of Two-Up.
Mining companies in Collie have always fostered great mateship among the miners on and off the work site. During WW1 the Military Mining Corps was formed, to tunnel under enemy trenches. Among the first to enlist were miners from the coalfields of Collie. A total of 21 miners from Collie served in the Mining Corps during WW1, sadly 2 of those soldiers died whilst on active service.
Everything depicted in the mural is authentic to each ear, from the World War 2 Ammo Crates to the Vietnam war Cooler boxes and boots. Each portrait was painted from enlistment photos and various press photographs.
The mural was painted over 6 nights, so I could dodge the sharp heat and uneven lighting. Every morning when I’d pack up, I’d see family members or relatives of the Veterans painted, visit the mural.
Some in tears as it would be the first time they would see their family member – a veteran be brought back to life.
Thanks to Graeme and Gary from the RSLW for all of your assistance, look forward to catching up again at the RSLWA for a beer and maybe a game of two-up!
It was an honour to paint a mural that celebrates two of the most iconic and admired footballers ever to don the famous Red V - Maurice Rioli and Stephen Michael.
The right amount of wind helped the spray paint dry, as I battled through the rain to finish the piece in 3 days, in time for the unveiling.
I collaborated with acclaimed local artist Darryl Bellotti who added another dimension to the artwork and storytelling.
Depicted is the Boodja (the land) - circular patterns representing the people and cultures from those lands as well as the gaps that reflect the seas and rivers.
Behind Maurice Rioli is the Turtle, representing the people and culture of the Tiwi islands. The Yonga (Kangaroo ) signifying the memories of Stephen growing up in Kojinup and the circles representing the swelling and rippling impact both players have had on the SFFC.
A tribute to the Mingenew Tennis Club and wildflower country
A “Frothy” interpretation of Bunbury’s history
I painted this Fremantle tribute piece for an Airbnb with the intention that it would act as a bit of a guide for tourists.
Characters within the painting represent different aspects of Freo. Towards the East you’ll find buskers and keen shoppers. Central you will find a Sandman that will lead you to the beach as well as Fremantle gems such as my buddy Horatio. Towards the pub you might find someone that looks like Bon as well as a few other keen punters such as myself, Ange, Sienna our little Joey and our mate Tommy.
Who else can you see?
I love digging for old photographs that give a glimpse into how dramatically different life was many generations ago.
When painting from historical images, I find that the older, rustier, and more decayed surface the better.
This is a painting of William Walker, Painted on the side of a sea container at WhaleBone Brewing Company who was famous for shoring up the southern and eastern sides of Winchester Cathedral.
From 1906, Walker labored underwater below the Cathedral for six hours a day at depths up to 6 meters (20 ft).
He worked in total darkness, using his bare hands to feel his way through the cloudy, muddy water.
He did this for 6 years and his role was crucial in the Cathedral being successfully restored.
Heres a video of my latest mural for the upcoming ATP Cup coming this January 2020 atRAC Arena. Painted in Yagan Square and featuring Tennis legends Rafa Nadal and Kei Nishikori
Signwriting: by Mick Haines
I went through almost as many beers as I did spray cans, painting at the Australia Hotel Bar Fremantle last month.
I wanted to capture The Australia Hotel as it was in the 80s in Fremantle. The piece was inspired by the work of iconic Australia photographer Rennie Ellis. Also tucked in the mural are a few locals, such as Noel Brown (pictured below) who's family first moved to Fremantle in 1881 and who has more than 60yrs history drinking at the front bar of the Hotel after knocking off from a shift as a Railway Worker.
Inspired by the Aboriginal warriors that walked the land before the colonization of Australia. Painted with ArtByDestroy
Painted with Aerosol and acrylics - bringing old photos from the Club back to life
- Channel 10 News - https://www.facebook.com/10NewsPer/videos/294273361420463/
- Fremantle Gazette (front cover print & online) - https://www.communitynews.com.au/fremantle-gazette/news/north-fremantle-dogs-beach-and-the-community-in-new-mural/
- The Urban List Perth - https://www.theurbanlist.com/perth/a-list/perth-artist-exhibitions
- We Love Perth - https://weloveperth.net.au/the-creative-shakey-jakey/
- RTR FM - Radio interview (Preview attachment Shakey Jakey - Radio Fremantle .mp3Shakey Jakey - Radio Fremantle .mp310 MB)
I painted this mural for Rugby Australia with ArtbyDestroy in time for the Bledisloe Cup at Perth Optus Stadium
This is the story of local Freo artist Jacob Butler, AKA SHAKEY. It showcases the experiences he's had in Fremantle that have taken him on a lifechanging journey. It's this journey that's inspired him to follow his heart and make a career in creating his own artwork. Produced, Directed and shot by: Oliver Oldroyd and Stevie James Smith
SHAKEY X WHALESHARK
One of my favourite murals to date - pool time, beers and my offsider Banjo. Checkout the video and tag anyone who could do with a splash of colour in their home too!
music: DJ Quads - Motivation