Street art brings Kangaroo Flat to life this spring

Kangaroo Flat will receive its biggest street art project to date this September thanks to a joint project between Goldfields Libraries, Anglicare, Bike Bendigo and local street artist collective Nacho Station. Funding has been provided by Healthy Heart of Victoria.

The exterior of the Kangaroo Flat Library will be transformed by local artists Rachel Doller and Wes Franklin to create a vibrant and exciting space for the local community.

In addition to the new mural, free street art workshops for young people will be hosted by Nacho Station and the Bendigo Creek Adventure Challenge; part of the Healthy Heart of Victoria initiative aimed at improving health outcomes in the Loddon Campaspe region, encouraging families to get outdoors and moving these holidays.

"The library mural will be a spectacular asset for the Kangaroo Flat community.  We're really excited to be able to connect stories, art, libraries and healthy activity at this time when we have had to be creative about how to connect with and serve our community. 

"We're hoping this will create a fun and exciting element to encourage the community to get out and about, get moving and get reading during the holidays," said Lucy Mayes, Goldfields Libraries' Manager of Engagement.

Project curator and Nacho Station leader Reece Hendy said the artists were selected for their unique styles, which will help to tell the story of the project themes of the Bendigo Creek, literacy, and physical activity, all of which will be represented within the mural.

"Wes will be focusing on bringing literacy to the outside of the building, and Rachel has used her iconic style to represent the natural elements that surround the location, with an added sense of movement through her joyful shapes and compositions," said Mr Hendy.

Along with the mural, there will be a series of social and physical activities aimed at young people and families to bring a diverse range of community members together to enjoy art and the outdoors.

In the second week of the school holidays, families can enjoy a self-guided Bendigo Creek Adventure Challenge, where they can ride or walk the Bendigo Creek trail between Kangaroo Flat and Bendigo Library to collect words and letters along the footpath and decipher the code to go into the draw to win a prize. Worksheets can be picked up from the Bendigo Library or Kangaroo Flat Library.

"The Creek Trail is already a beautiful location to ride and walk, so the new artwork along this trail will lift the profile of the library and its connection to the trail," said Mr Hendy.

In more creative fun, the Kangaroo Flat Library Street Art workshops on October 1 will see participants learn how to use spray paint and create their own masterpiece with the team from Nacho Station. 

The workshops are designed to improve and support social and emotional literacy, with participants having the opportunity to try a fun, engaging, creative activity while connecting with others in the community. 

The mural has now begun at the Kangaroo Flat Library and locals are encouraged to stop by and see the project coming to life before its completion by October. 

Street Art workshop details 

• Workshops for ages 12 to 25
• Date: October 1 
• Sessions: 10am - 11am, 11.30am - 12.30pm and 1pm - 2pm
• Bookings required: book at goldfieldslibraries.com

Available for interview: 

Nacho Station - Reece Hendy - 0437 752 014 - reece@nacho-station.com

Goldfields Libraries - Lucy Mayes - 0422 243 234 - lucym@ncgrl.vic.gov.au