Artist on the right track to completing Australia’s longest mural in Bayswater

MURAL artist Drew Straker drew inspiration from WA’s tourist destinations and the six Noongar seasons to paint a 500m wall dubbed The Great Wall of Bayswater.

The retaining wall forms part of the Forrestfield-Airport Link project, an 8.5km extension to the suburban rail network which will spur off the Midland line at Bayswater.

Straker is collaborating with the Public Transport Authority, youth organisations and schools for the Bayswater urban art project, which is part of the PTA’s Right Track program.

The Highgate resident said he started the mural, which was yet to be officially named, in February and expected to finish in three months.

“The design itself is inspired by WA but it is based around the six Noongar seasons, so I wanted to pay respects to the traditional owners of the land,” he said.

“That is also why we have the painting beginning with what will be a dream rainbow serpent.

“We are going to incorporate landscape paintings, trains, planes, as well as native animals.”

Straker (36) said he thought this would be the longest mural in Australia and in the southern hemisphere.

“You don’t often get walls 500m long without any stopping, so it is a really unique site,” he said.

“I think there is so much potential in these students and they have really been a pleasure to work with and are really looking forward to the final outcome.”

Straker will continue to host workshops and work with schools and organisations such as the Kensington PCYC, PCYC Midland and the Armadale Education Support Centre.

For more information on the Right Track program, visit www.righttrack.wa.gov.au.

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