Art in pr eser vat ion Darebin City Council has completed a project to preserve the culturally significant Koori Mural – a famous piece of artwork that had become damaged by weather over the years.
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to the resilience of Australia’s Indigenous community to longstanding injustices.” CEO of the Aborigines Advancement League Ms Esme Bamblett said the mural had considerable historical and cultural significance. “The mural is not only locallysignificant but more broadly too – as it refers to the experiences of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, from early colonial history to the more recent struggle for social justice,” Ms Bamblett said. The preservation work saw each panel of the intricate mural carefully removed by hand. The mural was then digitally recreated, printed and reinstalled at the same location – so that the iconic artwork will be seen by future generations.
Procurement and Tendering
esigned by Megan Evans in 1983 in consultation with the Aborigines Advancement League, the mural is an iconic artwork on St Georges Road, Thornbury. As the elements have gradually taken their toll on the mural, significant material deterioration has occurred. In 2011, Darebin commissioned a study looking at options to restore the artwork. Darebin Mayor Gaetano Greco said the decision to preserve the mural was a reflection of the importance council placed on its relationship with the local Indigenous community. “Per capita, Darebin is home to the largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Victoria,” Cr Greco said. “I think it’s important we preserved this cultural monument
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