Nth Pinjarra Pedestrian Underpass Mural

Please watch this space..........an exciting community art project taking place at Nth Pinjarra. Nth Pinjarra is also known as Carcoola a Nyungar name meaning "Place of many trees".

The project is a grass roots initiative, developed, designed and managed by the local Nth Pinjarra Progress Assoc and has been funded by the following:

• Community Arts Network WA


• Alcoa World Alumina Australia


• Shire of Murray

with the support of the Carcoola Primary School.

The location of Nth Pinjarra is peculiar within the greater Peel region and has the unique history of being originally established in the early 1970’s as the housing estate for a new and emerging mining community employed by alumina producer Alcoa World Alumina Australia. Interestingly, in 2009 with a population of between 1300 and 1500, Nth Pinjarra finds itself situated in a precarious geographical void of being “too close to existing urban infrastructure to develop autonomy of identity and yet not close enough for inclusion and a sense of belonging”. The historical town of Pinjarra is located 4 kilometres to the south.

Whilst, the Nth Pinjarra community enjoys cultural and generational diversity, relatively low crime rates and a general sense of community safety, there is a wider community perception of semi isolation in regard to its locality within the Peel region.

The project is aimed at engaging local youth in its design, development and making. The emphasis upon youth participation in all aspects of the project is significant in light of the semi isolated nature of the community and the detrimental implications of alienation, be it social, geographical or economical. Through the medium of a community mural, the project seeks to provide community members with an exceptional and creative opportunity to explore and express their cultural identity, and through their actions achieve an enhanced sense of community ownership and pride.

The pedestrian underpass is situated in a prominent location, is easily accessible to the general community and maintains a strategic link in the urban design of the Nth Pinjarra public open space environment. The underpass has continued to function as a main safety access conduit for students of the near-by Carcoola Primary School for over 30 years.

In partnership with the Nth Pinjarra Progress Association, I will facilitate community member participation in a series of free design workshops at the local Carcoola Community Hall and conduct whole of school design workshops with the students from Carcoola Primary School. The intention of the workshops will be to encourage community members to explore social and environmental aspects of personal importance, and to consider the varied aspects that make Nth Pinjarra unique. Importantly, workshop participants will determine the mural theme through the incorporation of these aspects into the overall design of the mural.

All interested community members and school students will be encouraged to participate in the painting process. The mural will be painted with a combination of traditional mural paints and high quality modern urban art materials, and will be treated with an anti graffiti coating upon completion.