Northcote Koori Mural facts for kids
The Northcote Koori Mural is a special artwork found in St Georges Road, Thornbury, Victoria, within the City of Darebin. It was created by Megan Evans, a former art teacher from Northcote High School. She worked closely with members of the Aboriginal Advancement League, a group based in Thornbury that now owns the mural.
Megan Evans teamed up with Lin Onus, a respected Aboriginal artist and elder. They researched and designed the mural together with people from the Victorian Aboriginal Community. Many trainee artists and volunteers helped paint it between 1983 and 1985. Some of these artists included Les Griggs, Ray Thomas, Millie Yarran, Ian Johnson, and Elaine Trott.
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The Mural's Journey: From High Street to St Georges Road
The Northcote Koori Mural was first placed on Council land in High Street, right across from the Northcote Town Hall. Later, this land was sold. The mural then moved to the Aboriginal Advancement League in St Georges Road, Thornbury. A large, stand-alone wall was built just for the mural. This wall is next to the Sir Douglas Nicholls Sporting Complex.
Megan Evans felt the artwork was very important. She said it was a key landmark for the Aboriginal community at that time. She also noted that the Northcote Council supported the project, which was quite advanced for its time. In the late 1990s, the local council sold the land. The mural was then moved to its current spot on St Georges Road, near the Aboriginal Advancement League's main building.
What the Mural Shows: History and Messages
In 2011, there was a suggestion to add the mural to the Darebin Heritage Overlay. This means it would be officially recognized as an important historical site. The mural shares stories about Victoria's Aboriginal culture and history. It also sends strong messages about Aboriginal people being unfairly put in jail.
The artwork features big drawings based on historical art by Tommy McRae and William Barak. It also shows Aboriginal men in neck chains, a scene from a well-known old photograph. Another part of the mural highlights the Lake Tyers land rights campaign from the 1970s. This campaign was about Aboriginal people fighting for their land rights.
Restoring the Mural: Keeping History Alive
Over time, the mural started to show wear from the weather. Sometimes, people would also spray graffiti on it. To fix this, Darebin Council set aside money to restore the artwork. In 2011-12, they funded a report on how to do the restoration. Then, in 2012-13, more money was given to help preserve and fix the mural.
The original painted panels were carefully taken down. A new digital print copy of the mural was made and put up in December 2013. This way, the important artwork can continue to be seen and appreciated by everyone.
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