By Colin MacGillivray

A new mural celebrating women and girls in sport now adorns the back wall of Stawell’s Central Park clubrooms thanks to the work of well-known Australian art duo MCRT Studio.

Northern Grampians Shire Mayor Rob Haswell said the mural’s design was shaped by public feedback during the engagement stage of a broader female-friendly clubroom redevelopment at Central Park.

The large-scale mural focuses on female participation in sport as well as fair access, and gender equity, brightening the traffic thoroughfare between the busy Stawell railway station and Central Park’s Napier Street access gate.

Cr Haswell said the mural’s theme aligned with a council-led initiative to support a creative economy and added to the high-quality artworks along the region’s Silo Art Trail.

“In this area, family and community unite through sport and at their local club grounds,” he said.

“The sport-focused mural idea was workshopped during the engagement phase of the Central Park clubrooms upgrade, with the community raising the idea that art would be a terrific way to support and inspire, delivering a positive and balanced message to the community in a very public space.

“It’s fantastic to see a positive visual message up on the wall at such an iconic ground.

“Sporting history is central to this country and positivity and balance are both integral to regional sport.

“Not only is this mural a brilliant new addition to map out as you drive along the Northern Grampians tourist route, the artwork is lit up at night, improving visibility along what was once a dark road.”

Brisbane duo Maxim Chikanchi and Rozelle Tan, who make up MCRT Studio, completed the mural in only a few days, working with community stakeholders in Stawell to add personal experience to the design.

The duo has exhibited their work, which includes murals, installations and other art pieces, around the world.

“We are thoroughly enjoying our return to Stawell to paint this mural for Central Park,” Ms Tan said.

“It was a combined effort with community members and local kids to create this design using inspiration from the town’s history and local florals, and we are just ecstatic to paint the result of this collaboration.”

Cr Haswell said the council was committed to ensuring art contributed to the cultural enrichment of the Northern Grampians community.

For more information about the mural project, people can visit www.ngshire.vic.gov.au/Community/Arts-and-culture/Central-Park-Mural-Stawell.

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