A plain wall has been transformed into an impressive mural featuring local birds and flowers in Commercial Place, Drouin.
A year in the making, the mural is being funding by anonymous local people who simply want to have something uplifting and beautiful in the town.
However, behind the graffiti art mural is a powerful message to save Drouin’s trees as urban development expands.
“If we keep losing trees the way we are, this will be the only way our great-grandchildren will be able to see the birds,” Friends of Drouin’s Trees member Mary Gibson said.
Mural coordinator Jeannie Haughton said the project was auspiced through the Committee for Drouin and supported by Friends of Drouin’s Trees.
“It’s a wonderful example of the ways in which people can help improve the place they live in and love,” Ms Haughton said. “It is also the first event in the recognition of Drouin’s 150 years since the first settlers arrived.”
Dan Wenn, the artist behind the mural, said the mural was coming along nicely despite wet weather delays. The most difficult portion of the mural lay ahead; the rainbow lorikeet with 25 different colours.
“We’re doing two birds - a rainbow lorikeet and crimson rosella - and they are sitting amongst Ficifolia”, Mr Wenn said.
“Depending on the weather, I’ll probably be here until Monday (yesterday), so six days all up.
“Everyone seems to love it. We’ve had lots of great feedback. I think everyone is just excited to see something like this happening here, which is really cool.”
Mr Wenn, who lives in the Yarra Ranges, has previously worked on projects in Warragul and at Lardner Park.
“I’ve been wanting to work in Drouin for a while,” he added.
Ms Gibson said kids had shown plenty of excitement over the mural and only a few residents didn’t seem to like it.
Fellow Friends of Drouin’s Trees member Bill Boardman said the wall had been donated for this privately-funded mural.
“We have used this theme, Friends of Drouin’s Trees, to basically show the value of trees in the Drouin area and birds behind me representing some of the birds that use the hollows in these trees,” he said.
“There will be, up in the top corners, some Ficifolia blossoms. There are a lot of these trees in the area, and we are pleased to see them up on the wall.”