Called the Bird Song Welcome Wall, the striking mural was funded by Regional Arts Victoria, enabling the community to engage artist Becky Nevin-Berger to lead the project.
A consultation process activated the collective memories of our Lismore and Derrinallum communities by encouraging locals to share their stories and memories of the area. Local wildlife and the ever-imposing Mount Elephant were identified as particularly important to everyone.
The project is one of many initiatives our SWH health promotion team has implemented to increase social connectedness in our smaller rural communities. Health promotion officer Ashleigh Glennon (pictured left) says the use of visual arts to promote a sense of identity, belonging, attachment and openness strengthens communities’ identification to place.
The brightly-coloured mural, on the exterior of the High Street-facing Grimwade Rooms, is already receiving positive community response and Ashleigh hopes it will encourage interest in using the Grimwade Rooms for community-led events. Its first official task is to act as the backdrop to a community arts and music-themed evening featuring live music and artwork on March 20. For more info contact Ashleigh at aglennon@swh.net.au
From left: Health promotion officer Ashleigh Glennon, Camperdown/Lismore Community Health manager Susan Ryan, community members Lyn Stammberger* and Joan Goodacre*, Corangamite Shire Council’s Lesley Brown , community members Gwenda Shaw, Ted Goodacre and Val Lang*. *These people are also SWH life governors.