Wellington Dam ‘mega mural’ to boost Collie tourism

The face of Wellington Dam’s 12,000sq m wall is set for a colourful transformation, with possibly the world’s biggest “mega mural” due to be completed by December.

The region’s flora and fauna, history of the area and Noongar artwork are among the suggested designs to decorate the 367m by 34m wall.

It is part of a $1.5 million mural trail project for Collie, with the State Government calling on artists to submit designs for selection.

Premier Mark McGowan was at the dam on Tuesday to announce the project, which he said would turn the wall into a “world-class attraction”.

What we’re going to do here is create one of the world’s biggest murals on Wellington Dam, if not the biggest mural in the entire world.

“The idea behind it is it will attract tourists, locals, interstate and international people right down here to Collie to showcase the marvellous Wellington National Park, the extraordinary Wellington Dam and the beautiful community of Collie and the surrounding towns.”

With the wall’s mammoth dimensions, Mr McGowan said there was also potential for the mural to break world records, with the current record-holder for the biggest outdoor mural by a single artist measuring about 3500sq m.

“Murals around the world are very successful, but none of them – as far as we’re aware – have done it on the scale of Wellington Dam,” he said.

“It’s innovative, it’s different, it’s exciting.”

Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said it was an exciting project which would increase tourism and have a flow-on effect creating more local jobs.

Looking ahead, he said it was important to shift the region’s economic base.

We all know coal has a finite life of probably the next 20 years and we want to be adjusting the economics in Collie along the way. It’ll put this area – not only Collie but Dardanup and Burekup – on the map.

He said the old water tank on the top of the hill in Collie was also earmarked for a mural as part of the project and artists would be engaged shortly.