The making of a community mural (Story Book) - North Yarra ...

in the flow 

- we sing and dance in life’s river, to honour her and be revitalized 

the making of a 

community mural 

at North Yarra Community Health, Collingwood

Mural Storybook 

Published by: 

Edited by: 

Photos by: 

Designed by: 

Printed by: 

North Yarra Community Health Inc (NYCH) 

365 Hoddle Street, Collingwood, Victoria 3066 

Phone: (03) 9411 4333 

Fax: (03) 9411 4300 

ABN: 73 644 085 045 

www.nych.org.au 

Marlies Blatz & Tania Furlong 

Chi Chan, Collingwood College students, Marlies Blatz, 

Rob Cruse (cover photo & selected others) and Tania Furlong 

Mustard Creative Media 

135 Chestnut Street, Richmond, Victoria 3121 

www.mustardmedia.com.au 

McLaren Press 

11-19 Lithgow Street, Abbotsford, Victoria 3067 

Edition: 400 (2007) Reprinted: 120 (2008) 

Fonts: 

Stock: 

Violation (script font) and Futura 

Matt offset (cover stock 250gsm, internal stock 130gsm) 

ISBN: 978-0-9580371-1-2 

Mural Project 

Project Artists: 

Ellen Michel & Mandy Nicholson (Indigenous artist) 

Project Coordinator: Marlies Blatz, North Yarra Community Health 

Liaison: 

Laser cut outs: 

Computer design: 

Engraving: 

Collingwood College - Andy Sutton and Alan Holm 

Neighbourhood Justice Centre – Tania Furlong and Jodi Cornish 

Arrow Laser Australia Pty Ltd 

24 Northgate Drive, Thomastown, Victoria 3074 

Pierre Le Roux Design 

293 Auburn Road, Hawthorn, Victoria 3122 

Inscribe Australia 

www.inscribe.com.au 

 

IN THE FLOW - the making of a community mural

in the flow 

- we sing and dance in life’s river, to honour her and be revitalized 

the making of a 

community mural 

at North Yarra Community Health, Collingwood 

We are proud to acknowledge the Wurundjeri People 

as the traditional owners of this land 

This project received funding from: City of Yarra Community Grants, Rotary Club of Collingwood, 

Wanted Man, Neighbourhood Justice Centre, Victorian Multicultural Commission, 

Vespa House Collingwood and the Australian Multicultural Foundation. 


Contents 

Introduction & messages 5-15 

The practicalities 16-19 

What does it all mean? 20-25 

Preparing for the new mural 26-30 

Hoddle Street history 31-32 

Project participants 33 

Acknowledgements 34 

The artists 35 

 


Message from the Mayor 

The City of Yarra is proud to support the North Yarra Community Health’s mural project at their 

Collingwood Centre. North Yarra Community Health plays a vital role in our municipality, providing 

a vast range of health services that improve the well-being of our community. Through our annual 

Community Grants Program we are very pleased to have assisted NYCH to achieve their goal of 

revitalising an iconic site. The City of Yarra is committed to creating and supporting an environment 

in which arts and cultural activity flourish at all levels of the community. The Arts and Cultural Plan 

2005 – 2009 outlines our mission to work with communities, artists, organisations, business and 

government to achieve community well-being, economic strength and cultural vitality within Yarra 

by involving local people, investing in local practice and supporting a shared sense of place. This 

project is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when we work together as a community. 

Cr Jenny Farrar 

Mayor City of Yarra 2007 

Introduction 

We have put together this storybook to acknowledge the makers of the art work, to record the stages 

and phases of the project and to keep a record of the murals’ history. 

Murals have featured on the Hoddle Street façade of the 

Collingwood building of North Yarra Community Health since 1993. 

The eight original panels were created for the 125th anniversary of 

the then Collingwood Community Health Centre. They lasted for an 

amazingly long time. However, in about 2005 it became obvious 

that we could not maintain them any longer – the panels had come 

to the end of their natural life. The easy option would have been to 

just remove them, paint the wall a uniform colour and move on, but 

somehow this did not seem right, particularly for someone like me, 

who had always worked in the murals’ presence. 

That wall is something that 

has been such an icon 

throughout my childhood, as 

we’d always look for it when 

passing along Hoddle Street. 

Ari Hatzis 


The Collingwood Centre has long been identified by the murals. ‘The building with the big colourful 

pictures on it, just past Johnston Street’ – that was always the directions I gave to people on how to find the 

health centre building along Hoddle Street, which after all stretches from East Melbourne up to Clifton Hill. 

I asked people in the community whether the ’old’ murals should be replaced or removed and the 

response was unanimous ‘I think they should be replaced’, ‘I still stop to look at them and always find 

another little fascinating detail’ and ‘They have been part of the place for such a long time.’ 

This new project is far removed from my original concept which was along the lines of ‘just paint new 

panels, fix them to the old frames, give the whole facade a lick of paint – and that’ll be it’. Well, so 

I thought. Never underestimate the creativity of a community and those artists. They wanted something 

completely different – new, fresh, theirs. 

And, of course, that long, long wall lent itself intuitively to the river theme. If only that old wall did not 

have those tricky corners and angles and bits sticking out …. As we agonised over what materials to 

use to make the river flow along the wall, how to make it all stick to that wall, and how to achieve it all 

somehow not too far outside the agreed budget, I was on occasions heard muttering under my breath, ‘All 

I ever wanted was new panels!’ Now of course, when I look at the beautiful, elegant, artistic, totally new 

and different mural, I would not have it any other way. The new mural is a stunning work of community art. 

For me, one of the major attractions to working in community health is that it provides so many 

wonderful opportunities to connect with the community – sharing an activity creates shared experiences 

and shared memories; memories which bubble away in our mind like the rainbow bubbles on the river 

and can delight us for years to come. Activities with others also allow us to connect beyond the time of 

the activity. I agree whole heartedly with Tania that community activity builds community relationships. 

On one of my home visiting rounds, I saw Mawolu, one of the students crossing the street, I wound 

down the window, called out to her – and got back a big smile. Because we had this shared 

experience, the mural, it provided both of us with the opportunity to acknowledge our connection, to 

share a greeting and a big grin. How lovely is that! 

One of the ideas of the project was to bring together the old - as in 1993 participants - and the new 

– as in younger persons as well as recently arrived people to Collingwood. One of the old crew was 

Jean Hales, well known Collingwood identity and much involved in the community on many levels and 

a very strong supporter of the community health centre for many, many years. Sadly Jean passed away 

before the mural was finished, but only days before her admission to hospital she still held a crayon in 

her hand. 

It never ceases to amaze me how imaginative each and everyone of us is, given a chance to express 

it; equally, it never ceases to amaze me how artists so skilfully pull it all together. In Ellen and Mandy 

we certainly had two artists who produced an outstanding result of which everyone involved in the 

project can be very proud. 

Marlies Blatz 

Project Coordinator 

 


Ellen Michel 

I thought it would be a straightforward project. Replace existing murals and design new ones for the 

wall of the North Yarra Community Health Centre, but of course, with the artistic process, nothing is 

that assured… 

In my research I discovered that Hoddle Street, as a main thoroughfare, started to be carved out by 

aboriginal people as part of a trading route to the river, where goods such as green stone and possum 

furs where exchanged, and with the colonization of Melbourne it continued to grow, linking North 

with South across the river. 

My approach in developing a concept is to start with the big picture. 

The landscape – from the very beginning the idea of ‘flow’ was there. It is impossible to ignore the 

continual flow of the traffic down Hoddle Street. 

The trees – always inspire me. Shielding the façade from busy Hoddle Street, the flowing tracery 

of the plane trees’ bare branches are like stain glass windows to the sky, inviting opportunities and 

exploration into other worlds. 

The river flowing through the landscape – the river is the source of life. Its health reflects the health of 

the society. From the earliest times people have come to the river, to sit and watch it flowing, to hunt, 

fish or meet friends and family there. For me, the sight and sounds of the river as it moves through the 

landscape, refresh me again and again. 

The society – the ordered structure of society complements the soft curves of nature, the linear bottom 

lines represent the framework of society. When Marlies took me on a tour of the community I sensed 

a certain order within the health centre, a certain societal structure which also spilt out into the 

surrounding areas, the Collingwood Neighbourhood House, the Youth Centre (both located at the 

bottom of the 253 high rise tower in Hoddle Street) and the ‘Billabong’ grounds of the housing estate. 

Collingwood College was a hive of activity on my visit. 

The building façade is over 50 metres long – a very long, low wall, broken up into two separate 

parts. The 22.7 metres of wall from Sackville Street to the main entrance resembled a modernist brown 

cardboard box; the other half, 27 metres to the corner of Easey Street, that of an archeological dig. 

What to do? Right from the start there was never any intention of making a silk purse out of a sow’s 


ear, nor denying the past, and it was important to follow the conceptual aspect that life is not without 

its rocky roads, its precipitous ravines and fault lines. Obstacles and snags can give us strength and 

courage. To flow over or around them can create new pathways to explore, or they can become 

havens preventing us from being washed away. The wall became a metaphor for life’s journey – the 

wall is long, sinuous, worn and has a less than perfect surface – it is life’s journey made solid. 

We finally agreed rendering was the answer - there was no other way to let the river flow over all 

those crevices and corners that old building had. It was a major shift in thinking, and to unify the 

façade the brown brick wall had to be bagged, to make it look the same as the Easey Street end. 

Commonality and difference – this idea became an important part of the framework for the project. 

The two ends of the health centre façade were different and distinct but we wanted them to come 

together as one to serve the community; a community which also has its commonalities and differences. 

The mural – allowing all the observations to be articulated, the mural started to develop substance. 

The two ends would be united by a long flowing raised band of render approximately 2 metres wide 

across the full length of the façade, the top edge having a curving flowing line and the bottom a linear 

structured line. The render background is the metaphor for life’s many layers. The mural on the wall 

depicts the river as it flows through the landscape, flanked by the banks, trees, their branches and 

roots. The curved tree line of the upper edge represents nature, the linear lower edge the society. 

Consultation with Community – the workshops with community members confirmed the idea that 

people are inspired ‘to move in the flow of the river of life for health and well-being’ by many different 

things. Their journeys are explorations and adventures through the passage of time and space. On the 

way their journeys are punctuated by stopping off places - meeting places, parks, cafes, clubs, homes. 

Places where they come together, with community, family, friends, workmates and people whose 

interests they share, to engage in activities together - eating, cooking, making art, storytelling, sport. 

I enjoyed the process of the consultation immensely. Unfurling a roll of brown paper on tables, placing 

stones, feathers, leaves, flowers with a blue curving line down the middle started the process. With a 

whole lot of pencils, felt pens, crayons and pastels we invited everyone to draw – ‘When you come to 

the river, what do you find there, what inspires you to move in its flow?’ 

 


Drawing as a medium of communication – while interpreters were present for some participants, 

there was a wonderful freedom to communicate through the drawing of images. Often people would 

respond to someone’s drawing with another drawing and so it went, drawing manifested drawing. 

One very profound experience I had was with Adelah, one of the Afghani women, who drew a 

house and trees by the river to which I responded with another house alongside hers, she immediately 

drew a path to my door and I drew one back to hers. We smiled at each other communicating an 

understanding. 

Transference – the images drawn at that workshop were traced around, numbered and named. 

72 images in all. A computer program was generated by a wonderful woman named Natalie, she 

was like an angel so caring and spent lots of time with me discussing the options for the outcome. 

I thank her for all her effort. She put me in good hands with Daniel and Greg, who laser cut the 

images in 3mm aluminium. 

While the images were all enlarged to approximately 600mm at the widest dimension something 

magic happened: the small and mundane, seemingly insignificant, were made disproportionately 

large and important, for instance, the mundane garlic and the apple are very large, birds are larger 

than people, houses larger than an island. In other words, the ordinary everyday is elevated and 

made monumental carved in metal. 

The image painting again was a collaborative undertaking in a final workshop in November. 

It was a powerful moment when everyone saw their images just as they had drawn them. 

A special thank you to my friends for their meaningful input. Thank you Rosemary Mangiamele for your 

moral support and your wonderful hands on expertise in painting the images. Thank you to Tony for 

helping me realise a vision and encouraging me to push the boundaries with a little reality check when 

my creativity got out of control. Thank you Andy for your words of wisdom and to your Year 9 kids’ 

refreshing input. And thanks to my co-worker Mandy whose magnificent hand has helped to make this 

work special. Last but not least, thanks Marlies, for keeping it all on track so splendidly. 

Ellen Michel 

Artist 


Mandy Nicholson 

When I was approached to be involved in this community mural project I jumped at the chance as 

I have completed similar projects with school children and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

This project was different as it involved a very diverse group of people from many backgrounds. 

All from different parts of the world, all bringing their own unique touch to the project by sharing 

stories, images and beliefs with me during the workshops. On a personal level I have gained much 

knowledge from them, insights about their communities, where they have come from, and how they 

find the Australian way of life. Especially the older people were willing to share their life experiences 

from their homelands, living in Australia and particularly Collingwood. It was great to hear that many 

had been living in the Collingwood area for numerous years and would never move as they loved it 

here. The students were also intriguing, they taught me about their homelands by pointing out animals, 

rivers and plants of significance. It allowed me to describe similarities and connections between their 

culture and mine, the Wurundjeri of Melbourne. I was particularly struck by the universal significance 

that ‘river’ and ‘water’ have in their life sustaining importance – for ceremonial and sustenance 

purposes, and the use of rivers as gathering places. Indigenous people, in the past and still today, 

meet frequently along important ‘river’ and ‘water’ systems throughout Australia to camp together or 

have large family gatherings, something I take part in several times a year. 

For me this cross cultural learning showed the link between animals and culture as a universal 

phenomenon. I was amazed to see how important birds were to so many people and the role of 

animals as ancestors and guardians in the different cultures, and how they compared with Indigenous 

Victoria. For instance the Vietnamese participants described their ancestral links to the dragon, just as 

the Wurundjeri people of Melbourne see Bunjil, the Eagle as the Creator. 

Both Bunjil and Waa the Raven (Bunjil’s helper) are ‘totems’, spiritual identifiers often in the form of an 

animal and are important in both ceremonial and daily life. We placed these two totems, Bunjil and 

Waa, at the entrance of the health centre as they are a welcoming symbol to visitors. 

Traditionally, when visitors were to come onto Wurundjeri land, a series of ceremonies first had to 

take place. The main one still practised today is the ‘Smoking Ceremony’ - people being formally 

welcomed and acknowledged onto Wurundjeri land. This involves the smoking of green Manna Gum 

leaves on the embers of a fire to create smoke. Manna gum leaf is used as it represents the name of 

the Wurundjeri people - Wurun = manna gum, and jeri = the grub that lives within the tree. Visitors are 

10 


then encouraged to pass through the smoke to be cleansed. This is symbolic of purifying the area of 

any bad spirits that visitors may bring with them and, traditionally, was done because many Aboriginal 

clans were enemies and wished harm on the other party. Today this ceremony is done as a sign of 

respect to past, present and future Elders who are held in high esteem, highly valued, and who are the 

caretakers of Wurundjeri lands and people. 

The lands of the Wurundjeri extend through most of South Central Victoria, west from the Werribee 

River, north to the Great Dividing Range, east to the Yarra River and includes Melbourne’s central 

business district. Birrarung, meaning ‘river of mists’, is our name for the Yarra River. Wurundjeri share 

their borders with the Boon wurrung (coastal Port Phillip Bay), Dja Dja wurrung (the Bendigo area), 

Taung wurrung (the mountainous area north of Healesville), and the Watha wurrung (the Geelong 

area). Together these five clans represent the Kulin Nation; Kulin meaning ‘man’. The ending ‘wurrung’ 

(meaning ‘mouth’ or ‘to speak’) shows their connection through language. The Kulin Nation therefore 

has a common language. 

Due to Indigenous protocol, to be able to use the images of Bunjil and Waa to symbolise the 

Wurundjeri people, I must consult with the Elders what motifs they thought best to represent them. The 

Elders believed that the use of the Birrarung was an integral part of the project as it is near one of the 

most significant Wurundjeri gathering places along the river where it meets the Merri Creek, at Dights 

Falls. This site was a significant meeting place where trading of items such as tools, weapons and 

food took place, and also marriage exchanges. The totems Bunjil and Waa also controlled the social 

structure of Wurundjeri people. Your totem was handed down to you by Elders and you were not 

permitted to marry anyone from the same totem. Birrarung, the ancient meeting place of the traditional 

owners, still is an important place for local people gathering and meeting along the river. 

It has been great to see the varying age groups represented and working together for a common 

outcome. I was struck by the great community feel every time I worked with them. Even while painting 

the river design on the wall, participants who walked past chatted with me and had a friendly 

smile. It was a pleasure to meet so many lovely people. It would be great if people from such varied 

backgrounds would get together and learn from each other more often. There is a vast wealth of 

knowledge that can be shared between us all if we take the initiative and become more involved 

in shared projects like the mural. I knew little about the cultures of most of the people involved in the 

project but at the end I do feel it has given me some insight into aspects of some individuals, their lives 

and their culture and who they are. And I hope I have done the same for them. 

Mandy Nicholson 

Indigenous Artist 

IN THE FLOW - the making of a community mural 11

Vera Boston 

Why does a Community Health Centre get involved with arts projects? What does that have to do 

with health? We at North Yarra Community Health think that it has a lot to do with keeping people 

healthy, forming new bonds and strengthening existing relationships, linking people together, giving 

them a sense of their community and showcasing the artistic skills of the community. 

Whether it’s the murals of 1993, the Generation Exchange theatre productions of 1999 and 2000, 

the Afghani/ Iranian Women’s Mural or the Inside Out - Outside In musical extravaganza of 2004, 

the Colours of Fitzroy mural by the BEEM Artists of 2006, or this latest creation, each of these activities 

has strengthened community life and given participants a greatly improved sense of well being by 

creating a space where people’s creativity can be expressed. 

In essence it’s about a healthy community, not just healthy individuals, and arts projects such as these 

nurture the community and build its resilience. 

The demise of the old murals has been keenly felt – however, the materials had aged, the community 

around us has changed and we needed a new landmark. 

I am delighted with the work which has been done – the artists have captured all the contributions 

made by the community and skilfully woven them into a beautiful whole. The river is particularly 

meaningful, representing both the Yarra, which is part of our name and of the municipality, and all 

the rivers of the world which link communities together, bring new ideas and are a source of beauty 

and richness. 

One of the highlights of this project has been the partnership with Collingwood College, and 

their Year 9 students have added a new perspective to the project. I am also aware that the 

Neighbourhood Justice Centre has partnered us in this work, and a number of the design workshops 

have been held there. The Collingwood Neighbourhood House and CHEAC, the Collingwood 

Housing Estate Art Committee, both played a major support role for the project and provided space 

for workshops. 

NYCH is extremely grateful to the people and organisations and businesses who contributed financially 

to the project, including a substantial anonymous donation – to all of them – Thank you very much. 

12 


I also wish to thank the community members who took part in this project – you should all be very 

proud of your work which will be on public display for many years to come, and of course a big thank 

you to the artists - Ellen Michel and Mandy Nicholson. 

Finally, I want to acknowledge the work of Marlies Blatz, one of our Community Health Nurses and 

the coordinator for this project. Marlies’ enthusiasm, energy, and attention to detail ensured that 

everything went according to plan, that participants stayed involved with the project and that their 

aspirations for the project were realised. 

Well done everyone! 

Vera Boston 

Chief Executive Officer, North Yarra Community Health 

Andy Sutton 

This year the Year 9 students of Collingwood College have undertaken an innovative curriculum 

program that has embraced Art Recreation and Community (ARC). This program included bike riding, 

art practise including outdoor sketching and painting, visits to galleries, parks and a variety 

of community centres. 

When the opportunity presented itself to be involved in the NYCH mural the program jumped at the 

opportunity because it embraced a lot of principles and experiences that we thought Year 9 students 

should have in their formative years. 

The mural project entailed students becoming involved with a wide variety of groups, and enabled 

students who might not normally engage with older members of communities other than their own 

to get that experience. Many students visited places such as the Neighbourhood Justice Centre, 

the community health centre and the Neighbourhood House for the very first time. 

Along the way it reinforced process, involvement and the development of an idea into a finished 

product. Students experienced the consultation process, information gathering, written diary entries, 


concept drawings, interviewing, digital documentation, working with community artists and had the 

opportunity to voice their opinions and express their ideas. 

They got the opportunity to produce a power point presentation for the launch of the project, work on 

the documentation of the project and had the practical experience of painting and working with the 

community artists. 

How do we measure a project like this? This is a true community collaboration that gives students a 

clear understanding of how important community interaction and involvement is to everyone: a true 

sense of belonging, feeling connected, making a contribution and being part of the wider community. 

From an educational perspective this experience and the opportunity to be involved in it adds to the rich 

tapestry of each and every student. This prepares them in future years as they grow into their community 

wherever they may be and gives them a true understanding of what ‘community spirit’ means. 

Andy Sutton 

Art Teacher, Collingwood College 

Tania Furlong 

At the 2007 Annual General Meeting of the community health centre a small child sat in front of me 

with her mother. She turned around and when seeing me, gave me a big smile and said to her mum ‘I 

know her’. I had met them both at the mural design workshops. It was just a small acknowledgement 

from a child but it reminded me how participation in community activities builds community 

relationships. 

I participated in the mural project through my work at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre (NJC). The 

centre opened in Collingwood in February 2007. It houses a court, provides support services for 

victims, defendants and local residents, and holds mediation and crime prevention programs for the 

City of Yarra. It is the first community justice centre in Australia. 

14 


An important part of the work of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre is supporting local initiatives and 

activities that strengthen the Yarra community. The mural project provided us with an opportunity to 

support one of our local key partners in their community building work. The Neighbourhood Justice 

Centre and North Yarra Community Health work closely together, and NYCH has a full time worker 

based at our centre. 

Being new to Yarra, this community engagement activity 

was a great opportunity for our staff to meet local 

community groups and individuals, introduce ourselves 

and our services, and be part of a fun and interesting 

community experience. We enjoyed taking part in the 

range of activities: from hosting workshops at our centre, 

to supporting the production of this storybook, to cutting 

up fruit and serving up bowls of steaming soup, to 

giving in to our creative urges during the design sessions 

and adding to the drawings and images for the mural. 

Personally, a particular highlight for me was hosting the 

workshops. The second floor of our building came alive 

with the activity and creativity of young and old people 

from a diverse range of backgrounds. My colleagues 

and I had the opportunity to meet these local people 

and it was inspiring to see our building used as a 

community resource. 

The passing parade of murals on 

the walls of this our Collingwood 

community health centre not only 

depicts various stages of Collingwood 

over the decades, but it brings together 

all ethnic and social groups who 

participated and do not only come here 

for health reasons, but also to socialise 

with each other so that it creates a 

better harmony of communities. 

Harold 

Thank you to North Yarra Community Health for involving and welcoming the Neighbourhood Justice 

Centre in the mural project; we have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity. Most importantly, thank you 

to all of the participants, who showed us just how vibrant and talented our new community is. 

Tania Furlong 

Information Officer, Neighbourhood Justice Centre 


the Practicalities 

The mural project was a moveable feast in its proverbial sense. The benefit of this was that our 

participants got to know a number of different organisations in the community. We started at the 

Collingwood Neighbourhood House, located at the ground floor of the 253 Hoddle Street high rise 

building. The drawing workshops happened at the Neighbourhood Justice Centre. On those two 

occasions the second floor became ours and very lively indeed. Here we wielded the crayons and 

colour pencils over that long roll of brown paper, which had been covered in flowers to inspire our 

creativity. The photos will speak for themselves – all the fun we had, although we could not really 

imagine the great result. The last two workshops were held in the ‘Factory’ meeting room at the 

community health centre. 

Starting with a blank canvas… 

…it quickly filled with our creative output 

16 


(L) Maria & the late Jean Hales 


The following gives a snapshot of a design in progress 

- from a drawing on a bit of paper to the final artwork on the wall. 

From here… 

…to here… 

…to here 

18 


As part of their ARC Program, the students also worked during school hours with their art 

teacher. They explored and designed shapes, form, colour and images in a ‘flowing’ fashion 

and had to keep a diary about the progress of the project. 

The project we are working on 

this term is about multicultural 

community. Each country has their 

own beauty. The purpose of this 

project is to collect those wonderful 

things together in a painting. 

Community involvement means 

working with others for a community 

purpose, instead of standing aside. 

Vanessa 


What does it all mean? 

Looking at the river and the images floating on it – what were the ideas and thoughts behind them, 

what do they represent for the person who drew a particular image? What did they evoke in some 

of the other participants, what might they invoke in the observer of the mural? So we asked the 

participants in the workshop where the artists presented a life size mock up of a section of the mural 

and ‘life’ replicas of the drawings they had selected. Here are some of the stories behind the images 

on the mural. 

HENNA 

Henna is for decoration, I paint henna on my hands for 

special occasions. Afrah with daughter Aya 

LEEK & RADISH 

Reminder of the importance of nature, stark contrast to traffic 

and concrete. Matthew 

LEMON 

I love food, I like sour food. Hien 

FLOWERS 

Represent beauty and are symbolic in a lot of cultures, they are used for 

different occasions, weddings, funerals, ceremonies, parties. Nyawaregak 

The flowers are my favourite, but I like everything, 

every piece has their own unique meaning. Effi 

Peach flowers blossom in spring, a sign of new life, 

happiness and hope, it is lunar New Year. 

Mr Chin Nguyen 

20 


BIKE RIDING 

The ARC program, we do bike riding every week; I don’t really 

care about riding. Hien 

SKATEBOARD 

Young people are at the centre of the community, they 

bring hope and signify change and growth. Robyn 

FISHING 

Fishing is well respected work, represents calmness, serenity, 

love of the water, environment, the earth. Dieu Phan 

TREE 

They give us fruit, shade, houses, furniture and beauty. Joy 

Gum tree motif is very important to this 

country. Teresa 

FIRE 

Acknowledges the spirit and life force that burns at the 

heart of all of us and the chaos and danger present in 

all of this. Matthew 


BIRDS 

Heron. In Vietnam the heron with a long neck represents 

fidelity, the love of a wife awaiting her husband to return from 

war – in vain. Dien Tran 

RUDI the crestless cockatoo. I wanted Rudi immortalised, our neighbour’s crestless cockatoo who hops 

into the tree outside my office window every day, looks at me with his beady little eyes and does 

his exercise routine - somersaults at the age of 80! Cockatoos can live up to 120 human years. He 

suffers from beak and feather disease – but to me he is a most delightful little creature cheering up my 

working day. Denis, his owner, told me he rescued him from cruel circumstances, took him to the Vet to 

have him put out of his misery – when Rudi suddenly squawked. That was 18 years ago. And now he 

enchants me every day. Marlies 

Magpie. We are in Collingwood, are we not! Anna 

22 


MAGPIE DELI 

This image represents a migrant family from Italy. In 1968 

my husband and I purchased a property on the corner of 

Nicholson & Abbotsford Street in Abbotsford. We decided 

to build a shop with dwelling on the site naming the shop 

the Magpie Deli. This shop became a landmark, the shop 

has provided the convenience of shopping locally. I tell 

you about my hobby as a gardener. I grow many kinds of 

vegetables, the garden has some old fruit trees including 

a fig tree which I make jam with and offer it to friends 

and family; also an olive tree which my husband planted 

40 years ago, olive fruit matures in autumn is picked and 

prepared in many different ways including pickles. Domenica 

Rock ‘n and roll’n 

This image is important to me as dancing at the Collingwood 

Town Hall was my meeting place. This is where I learnt to 

socialise with the male members of our community. Some of 

these were new migrants and quite exotic to us young Australian 

women in 1956. We meet our boyfriends and husbands 

there, all from the local area, as few had cars, we walked to 

the dance, took a train or bus to get there. Ballroom dancing 

was in one hall and rock ‘n roll in another. Rock ‘n roll was a 

liberation from our parents’ music. We made the music and 

dance our own. We dressed in big full skirts with as many as 

four pettycoats under them, boys in skinny leg pants, thin ties and 

duck tailed hair cuts. And by the way, I did meet my husband 

there. The result: two children and five grandchildren. I have 

rock ‘n roll to thank for that. Joan 

The Four Winds = N G A E W H A 

Wind flowing from the North, South, East and West, can 

never be predicted by man as to what each wind flow 

brings. Some say there are joys of good tidings. Some 

moan as the flows are too strong. 

The Maori scroll pattern depicts that mankind is never satisfied, we live in turmoil and we explode into 

a gush of tirade, we let off steam and over burden ourselves and where do we let it go? - in the wind. 

All walks of life comes from the four corners of the earth and each brings knowledge and wisdom. Like 

the wind we each seek their own future and when it is found, like the wind, we settle and embrace. 

People say ‘the answer is in the winds’ - perhaps, perhaps. Mere 


GARDENS & VEGETABLES 

In Aghanistan I had a garden at home. I grew many herbs, 

flowers and vegetables, every time I was free I started working on 

my garden, I really enjoyed it. Wajia 

In my backyard I had a very large tree with many birds, I 

enjoyed listening while they were singing. I remember everything 

about birds and trees in my house. Adela 

To me means - home living growing friends plants 

people family. Thi Vy Tran 

Community garden. Peter 

Growing food is a universal symbol that shows a 

healthy community, strength, survival. Its purpose is to 

build healthy individuals, healthy families and healthy 

communities. Andy 

House 

In Afghanistan I used to live in a very big house. I worked as a teacher. 

Every time I was free I enjoyed looking after my garden. Basira 

Warmth and safety and comfort. Casper 

YING & YANG 

Represents opposites, people are different, no one is perfect. Della 

Good and evil; weak and strong; kind and mean; happy and sad; dark and light; day and night; sun 

and moon; big and small; love and hate; male and female. Vy-Tran 

MUSIC NOTES 

Is engagement, good feeling. 

Hadush 

Sun 

Nature’s life force. Maryan 

CANOE 

Making one’s own direction in life, not adrift, enjoying nature, 

going with the flow. Alan 

24 


Island 

I started to draw Dights Falls; all that water must have inspired someone, 

when I turned around it was an island with palm trees.Too exotic for that 

place down the road. Chi 

NEEDLE & THREAD 

The sewing together of different community groups, the quilting of this mural. Alan 

Mountains 

Iran has many mountains and trees. Northern Iran has National Parks and green mountains and many 

rivers. Beautiful weather. Many people during holiday time they go to Northern Iran in order to enjoy 

all this beautiful nature. Emaneh 

FAMILY 

Is nice and they never mind. Hadush 

Fractal 

The fractal is a pattern which contains smaller versions of 

itself, it is a thing I find very beautiful. Here is a gum tree with 

hollows in it. Hollows in a tree was what I thought of when 

you talked about places of rest by the flow. The tree’s leaves 

too small to see here, are displayed in the same way as the 

raindrops. This scene also includes someone running, music and 

wind, three things which make me feel really vibrant.This scene 

is associated with nonacademic beauty, purely sense-based 

beatitude, music, wind, running. Kuyan 

DRAGON 

The Vietnamese dragon shows the map of Vietnam. Diem Dang 

The S shape represents Vietnam, the three regions of South, 

Centre and North – it is draped in the dragon because the 

dragon is the emblem of royalty and power and sumptousness. 

In Vietnam it is the culture, history, a symbol that stands out, 

represents the good and bad things. Vy-Tran 


Preparing for the new mural 

The tricky corners that caused us so much headache until 

we finally succumbed and decided on the render of the 

river to make it flow along the wall. 

It just so happened that Tony was a friend of Ellen’s, 

and a long time client of the health centre, and an 

architect, and he volunteered his help and expertise! 

26 


A last view of the old façade. The 1993 murals were created by artists Bob Clutterbuck 

and Claire Humphrys-Hunt, together with the community. They had served so well for so 

long – but as the saying goes, ‘nothing lasts forever’. 

Along came Sam & Guiseppe La Torre and 

made them disappear on 13 October 2007. 


While most of the panels were beyond 

salvaging, the Old Men’s one was in still 

remarkably good condition. So, Paul Brophy, 

Manager of Sambell Lodge Hostel in Clifton 

Hill brought his ute… ‘We have so many of the 

old Collingwood residents living in our place 

– they’ll have a great time to look at it, read 

and reminisce and remember; the history on 

that panel is fantastic for that.’ The panel now 

adornes the courtyard at Sambell Lodge. 

…and young Otis Craven was not letting 

everything going to waste either… 

At the end of the day – a remarkably 

small pile was left. 

28 


Then the preparations for the new mural started in earnest… 

Mandy and Ellen outlining the 

river for the render… 

…followed by George & Phil 

& Anthony, the renderer crew. 

Things really are starting to take shape. 

I think it would look alright, Andy! 


The first thin blue line – under a 

gorgeous blue sky 

Mandy painting the roots 

And then the trees started growing 

Ralph, handyman extraordinaire 

got that one nailed! 

30 


Hoddle Street history 

When I first heard about the storybook for the mural project I wanted to talk to some of our older 

members at the health centre about their memories of Collingwood before it was sliced in two by 

an eight lane arterial road. So I organised a meeting with Frank Thompson, Keith Fitzgerald, Harold 

Hamilton, Maria Luciani and Elsie Smith who have all lived in the suburb for a very long time. 

(from L) Chris O’Neill, Frank Thompson, Keith 

Fitzgerald, Harold Hamilton, Maria Luciani, Elsie Smith 

In the 1950s, before the demolitions began to 

widen Hoddle Street, Hoddle Street Collingwood 

was a thriving shopping strip much like Smith Street 

is now. These ‘slum’ demolitions were not without 

some controversy – the Government pleased with 

its progressive policy and action, locals resenting 

their neighbourhood and houses being labelled 

as slums. The original Hoddle Street ran between 

today’s median strip and the Abbotsford side 

footpath. There were pie shops, green grocers 

and grocers, butcher shops, a cinema and dance 

halls, and between Victoria Parade and Alexandra 

Parade no less than 5 hotels. After a day’s work 

in the Bryce & Duncan shoe factory women often 

would buy the ingredients for their families’ evening 

meal, then shell the peas in each others company 

on the train on the way home. 

The Punt Road bus met with the double decker bus in Johnston Street, many factories, mainly footwear and 

clothing, were in the suburb, and lots of workers cottages lined the streets. For instance Elsie Smith grew 

up in one at the corner of Vere and Hoddle Street. Many of the people living in the workers cottages 

were subsequently relocated into the public housing estate between Hoddle and Wellington Streets. 

Part of the external wall of the health centre was once 

an internal wall of the Bryce & Duncan shoe factory; 

in fact their name is still visible on our Easey Street 

façade. The old factory extended to what is now the 

median strip but was once the western side of Hoddle 

Street. This explains the unevenness and many of the 

‘tricky corners’ that the artists encountered when they 

tried to work out how the river design was to ‘smoothly 

flow’ along the wall. It also explains the name ‘the 

Factory’ for our big meeting room in the back of 

the building, a name which has become part of the 

‘language’ of the organisation. 

In 1869 Dr John Singleton established the Collingwood Free Medical Dispensary in Wellington Street. 

In the 1970s the Whitlam government set up the community health program and by now the old Singleton’s 

and its charity model of health were feeling the winds of change. An increasingly progressive committee 

of management decided to purchase the present site between Sackville and Easey Streets and developed 

a plan for a purpose built new community health centre with money from this new community health 


program. The project had much support from the local 

Collingwood Council (including Frank Thompson who 

was a Councillor at that time), and the new centre was 

to be ‘state of the art’. Jim Goode was the centre’s first 

manager. Naturally some staff were nostalgic about the 

old building with its long tradition but the community itself 

was very excited – this was the first significant community 

resource, the first significant amount of public money spent 

on the Collingwood community for decades. It was also 

important that the committee of management was elected 

by members of the community until the infamous reign of 

Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett in the early 1990s, when 

he forced amalgamations on health services and local 

municipalities alike. This is how Singleton’s became Collingwood Community Health Centre became North 

Yarra Community Health and turned 138 this year. 

On 25 September 1977 the Collingwood Community Health Centre was officially opened. The then 

president, Bill Ladner, owned a shoe shop in Smith Street. However, for years after people continued 

calling it Singleton’s or just the Clinic. Today we still have two staff members who started their working 

life at the Wellington Street clinic – Yvonne Turner, our part time receptionist, and myself. 

Chris O’Neill 

32 


Project participants 

Collingwood College students & teachers: 

Acok Dut, Adam Ross, Alan Holm, Andy Sutton, Casper Yu, Daniel Juusti, Daniel O’Regan, Della 

Luong, Diem Dang, Elly Gritzalis, Emmanuel Chan, Faiza Mahat, Hadush Gebreselasse, Hien 

Nguyen, Jacob Matray-Hutchinson, James Dawson, Kuyan Judith, Maryan Maalin, Matthew Simmons, 

Mawolu Zarwue, Michael Dinh, Nyawaregak Gach, Ozge Mirik, Peter Hua, Richie Nguyen, Sadam 

Ahmed, Sam Haynes, Sue Andrews, Thi Vy Tran, Vanessa Ly, Y-Nhi Ly. 

Community members: 

Adelah Formoli, Afrah Hassen & daughters Aya & Meryem, Alexandra Lavrin, Anastasia 

Kezkiropoulos, Anna Bevilaqua, Antonietta Pretotto, Aysel Alpay, Basira Wasil, Chi Chang, Dien 

Quang Tran, Domenica Romeo, Effi Tsakiridis, Emaneh Nadali, Feddie Mark, Harold Hamilton, Jean 

Hales, Joan Flanagan, Joy Phillips, Kathie Vendy, Le-Thi Ngoc-Nga, Lien Thi Ly, Loan Thi Nguyen, Loi 

Thi Tran, Maria Danko, Mere Paora Epere, Mohammad Wasil, Monira Soliman, Nguyen Van Chin, 

Phan Thi Dieu, Phi Thi Nguyen, Robyn Williams, Sharifa Fayazi, Sinh Thi Khieu, Tam Phan, Teresa 

Assaf, Thao Thi Nguyen, Wajia Nouris, Wesley Baglin. 

River to be free 

The River is free 

Seeing the people being pleased 

Doing things in and out of the River 

Fishing is great 

We can all relate 

Kids on skateboards are far from being bored 

All ages are on their bikes 

It must good for their health 

The birds fly and sing 

It’s just amazing to see them flap their wings 

So thank you River for all the love you bring. Wesley 


Acknowledgements 

Thank you to all the people who contributed their thoughts, ideas, expertise, time, and most 

importantly their emotions to our new mural. Thank you to all community members and the Year 9 

students at Collingwood College who work-shopped, discussed, shared, drew and painted the 

images which now adorn the Hoddle Street façade. 

I want to particularly thank all our financial contributors who made this project possible through their 

generous funding – they are acknowledged on page 3. I would like to express my particular gratitude 

to a generous private donor who wishes to remain anonymous. 

We all know that never has there been a community project that would have come to fruition without 

the generous help and assistance from many individuals and organisations in that community. Thank 

you to the mob at Collingwood Neighbourhood House, the Neighbourhood Justice Centre and the 

Collingwood Housing Estate Arts Committee (CHEAC) for providing space for the workshops; all the 

workers who cooked yummy food for us; Collingwood College for integrating the mural project into 

their Art Recreation and Community program of the Year 9 students; the City of Yarra for additional 

support when needed, and, especially Fiona Hillary from Arts & Culture and the staff in Council’s 

planning departments who were unfailingly helpful. 

Thank you to the Board of Management of North Yarra Community Health and my colleagues. My 

very special thanks to Chris O’Neill who, despite his ongoing health issues was supportive and 

encouraging from the outset, and provided a sympathetic ear as well as practical suggestions as we 

negotiated the complexities of the project. Thanks to Tony Campbell for his architectural expertise, to 

Rob Cruse, who contributed to the photographic record of the project and Ramset for the generous 

supply of fasteners to attach the images to the wall. 

Our list of thanks also includes: Atefeh Sanae, Bich Ha, Carla Yarmine, Chathura Arachchige, 

Dawn Stickland, Elsie Smith, Faranak Safae, Frank Thompson, Geoff Clark & Anthony & Phillip (our 

renderers), Jodi Cornish, Keith Fitzgerald, Libby Walker, Maria Luciani, Paul Brophy, Ralph Kempf 

(handyman extraordinaire), Rosemary Mangiamele, Sam & Guiseppe La Torre (who knocked the old 

murals down), Samantha Jones, Sue Kent, Siu Chan and Zamzam Ibrahim. 

A particular thank you to Phil Hall for championing the need for good documentation. This story book, 

which records the project would not have been produced without his input, nor without the generous 

support of the Neighbourhood Justice Centre which funded the publication. Tania Furlong made a 

valuable contribution in the editing of the story book, and I want to thank her for that. 

Last but certainly not least – artists Ellen Michel and Mandy Nicholson without whose vision, 

determination, hard work and skill we would not have completed this beautiful project. 

Marlies Blatz 

Project Coordinator 

34 


artist - ellen Michel 

We are all creative beings and life offers all the potential to explore 

the vast possibilities. I am passionately committed to encouraging 

creativity in myself and others. 

Originally trained as a realist/impressionist painter with a BA in Art 

History/ Anthropology/Sociology and a Diploma of Art Therapy, 

I have for over 30 years practiced and taught the techniques and 

mastery of oil paint. 

Winning numerous awards for landscape, floral and still life, I have 

had five solo exhibitions and travelled extensively to paint in Europe 

and the Mediterranean. 

Experiential work as an art therapist has provided a vehicle for 

intuitive, spontaneous personal work and collaborative community work. 

While continuing to explore techniques of oil paint, washes, textile bleeding, chiaroscuro glazes and 

impasto I have developed a love of more solid forms of materials like mosaic, sculptured brickwork 

and ferro cement render. 

As a result of exploring these more solid art forms, I have undertaken several public art works including 

the mosaic wall at Watsonia Neighbourhood House, mosaic panels and outdoor murals at Doncaster 

Primary School, the Serpent Head Path at Mia Mia in Westerfold Park, and the Meditation Garden at 

Rosanna Fire Station Community House. 

www.artmakersstudiogallery.com 

artist - Mandy Nicholson 

I was raised in Healesville and belong to the Wurundjeri-willam 

(Woiwurrung language) clan of the Kulin Nation of Melbourne. 

I have always been interested in all art forms, especially drawing. 

For over 13 years I have also produced carvings, etchings, prints, 

ceramic pieces (carved, painted and produced), murals, corporate 

logos and children’s clothing for the 4-12 age group and public art. 

I specialize in painting which I started studying at high school, and 

furthered at TAFE, University and through experimentation. More 

recently I have begun work on collaborative pieces and larger scale 

public artworks. These include the Manchester and Melbourne 

Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies 

respectively, Common Ground (Birrarung Marr) and Kirrip Wurrung 

Biik (Wyndham City Council). 

My style consists of traditional motifs of south-eastern Australia, 

blended with my own contemporary interpretation. These both comprise of symmetrical lines and fine 

linear works. 

The stories behind my designs all revolve around nature, animals, stories of my people, personal 

experience and my two daughters. I always incorporate traditional imagery into all my pieces with a 

detailed story or explanation of each. 

www.bunjils-country.com

The making of a community mural (Story Book) - North Yarra ...

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