The bold, eye-catching colours and quirky design of the mural at Acacia Fitzroy crèche have become a talking point for children and parents as well as members of the local community. 

The wall that now hosts the fantastical mural was a target for graffiti and tagging. Creche staff wanted something to counter this issue, while also creating an artwork that the children would connect with emotionally and find reassuring. 

Artists Lucy Parkinson and Gonzalo Varela hand-painted the mural over the course of two months. While the original design was for a fairytale-like cityscape featuring native Australian flowers the design evolved over time as the children and passing community members put forwards ideas. 

"As we started painting it everyone coming past started coming up with ideas for what they wanted to see and the design just developed from that" says Lucy.  

The final artwork is a patchwork of animals and plants in bold, eye-catching colours, a fitting reflection of Fitzroy’s diversity. Passers-by have commented on elements of their own cultures, such as mosques or temples, reflected in the buildings. It has had a strong positive response from the children attending the crèche who can see their ideas in the design and feel that they were an integral part of the creative process. 

Parents dropping children off have found the mural has a calming effect, giving them something to discuss and distract from any fear they may have of staying at the crèche. It has helped to make the crèche feel like a more welcoming place. 

"It’s always fun for the children to try and find things hidden in the design" says Lucy. 

Community members and crèche visitors alike feel that the mural has helped make Acacia feel right at home in a suburb known for its vibrant street-art. 

Learn more about Yarra’s public art.