Aboriginal Murals

Celebrating Culture and Community Through Art

You may have noticed some beautiful new additions to our school grounds, with vibrant murals recently completed by talented Indigenous artist Bayley Mifsud. We are incredibly fortunate to have worked alongside Bayley to bring these artworks to life, each thoughtfully designed to reflect the values and community of St Joseph's.

Bayley is a proud Peek Whurrong woman of the Maar Nation, originally from Warrnambool in south-west Victoria. Known by her Aboriginal name, Merindah-Gunya, meaning Beautiful Spirit, Bayley has a deep passion for sharing Aboriginal culture and storytelling through her artwork. Having developed her artistic skills from a young age under the guidance of her Elders, Bayley now creates meaningful artworks that celebrate culture, connection and community. 

More than simply adding colour to our school, these murals tell meaningful stories about who we are, what we value and the connections that make St Joseph's such a special place.

Our School Values – Respect, Resilience and Responsibility

One of our murals represents the three core values that underpin our Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) approach: Respect, Resilience and Responsibility.

This artwork provides a visual reminder for our students of the values we strive to demonstrate each day. It will serve as a visual reminder about positive behaviour, encouraging students to reflect on how their actions contribute to a supportive and welcoming school environment.

St Joseph's – A Place of Gathering and Belonging

Another mural celebrates St Joseph's as a gathering place, where come come together to learn and grow.  Within the artwork, each person symbol represents a different year level, from Prep through to Year 6. Together, these symbols reflect the importance of every year level in shaping our school community. The mural reminds us that although we may be at different stages of our learning journeys, we all connected to one St Joseph's community.

Honouring Our Past, Present and Future

Our third mural, located in the sandpit, tells a  story about the generations of students who make up the St Joseph's community. The artwork features three circles, each representing a different part of our school's journey, connected with a journey line. One circle represents the students who are yet to join St Joseph's and begin their educational journey. Another represents the students currently learning and growing within our school. The final circle honours those who have completed their time at St Joseph's and moved on to the next chapter of their lives. Together, these circles remind us that every student becomes part of the ongoing story of St Joseph's. While students may come and go, the connections, experiences and contributions they make remain part of our school's identity.

Meet the Artist at Our Art Show

We are  delighted that Bayley will be joining us as our Artist in Residence and guest speaker at our upcoming Art Show. Bayley will share more about herself, her artistic practice and the stories and cultural meanings behind the murals she has created for our school. This will be a wonderful opportunity for families to hear directly from Bayley and develop a deeper appreciation significance embedded within each artwork.

We sincerely thank Bayley for sharing her creativity and culture with our school community. These murals are a lasting contribution to St Joseph's and will continue to inspire conversations about identity and belonging for many years to come.

To learn more about Bayley and explore her artwork, visit her website: Merindah-Gunya Art.

Dean Butler

Deputy Principal