The mural on the wall of Wellington Dam in Western Australia
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (345156)
Rockingham, Australia
December 28, 2020 3:16am CST
We’re back from a drive to Wellington Mills near Collie in Western Australia. There is a mural being painted on the wall of the Wellington dam, which once supplied household water to much of the south of the state. However, the water is now too salty for domestic use.
When complete, it will be the largest mural in Australia or so they say. I’ve shown views from the base of the dam then from above the dam looking down to where we had parked earlier. There is also a close-up of one section. Only a small portion has been completed but when finished, it should be spectacular.
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44 responses
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
28 Dec 20
I am sure it will look amazing when it is finished. I have never seen any large murals in my country, but I like the idea.
7 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (47310)
• India
30 Dec 20
@JudyEv
Paintings on Silos are amazing as well !
4 people like this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
31 Dec 20
@JudyEv That is a great idea. Our grain silos don't have paintings or other decorations.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 20
Well, it's not an easy thing to get rid of, is it? lol They get some hydro-electric power from it and I think some might be used further downstream. Certain crops tolerate a certain amount of salt. There are a lot of water activities held on the dam itself with canoeing and kayaking in the river.
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@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Dec 20
@Dreamerby I think the finish might be some months away but I will for sure.
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@rsa101 (38181)
• Philippines
28 Dec 20
Nice that they used that very large canvass to make it more artful and a nice thing to look at. I guess it is a big project I am just figuring out what the theme of the painting is. It looks like children playing or doing something like playing or drawing on a paper.
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@Fleura (30923)
• United Kingdom
28 Dec 20
That's certainly huge. I would find it really difficult to do something like that because when you're working on it you literally cannot see the big picture!
I am curious about the water though - how did it become salty and what will it be used for now?
3 people like this
@Fleura (30923)
• United Kingdom
28 Dec 20
@JudyEv Is there any chance that people will see this as sign to stop land clearance and maybe plant some more trees? Or is that just wishful thinking?
For the mural, I thought they must have some sort of plan like that. Kind of like a giant 'painting by numbers' picture.
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@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 20
Apparently they work out the design then put it on graph paper. The wall is divided into squares then you paint according to the graph.
Because there has been so much land cleared upstream of the dam, the lack of trees means salts have risen from the ground. There is some electricity generated from the water and I think some is used further downstream on crops that are more salt tolerant.
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@LindaOHio (183822)
• United States
28 Dec 20
Wow! That is amazing. It will be incredible when it's done.
3 people like this
@arunima25 (88559)
• Bangalore, India
28 Dec 20
Once done I am sure it would be spectacular and huge. I have not tried my hands on murals in a long time. I feel like doing one but then they take a lot of time.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Dec 20
@arunima25 There would be a lot of heat coming off that wall in the summer.
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@arunima25 (88559)
• Bangalore, India
29 Dec 20
@JudyEv yes, it would be. And it's a tough job for artists going there and doing the work.
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@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
31 Dec 20
oh my! this's jest a most spectacular thing 'f beauty! so much work's gone 'nto such, from design to now the implementation 'f gettin' all painted. will be most stunnin' when completed 'n i hope ya continue to provide 'pdates when possible.
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
1 Jan 21
@JudyEv somethin' to look ferward to :) i 'magine such'll continue't a good pace, dependent 'pon the weather? i know 'tis been stiflin' hot out'n yer parts.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
1 Jan 21
@crazyhorseladycx I don't know how the paint reacts to the really hot days. There would be a lot of heat coming off the war during the hottest part of the day.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (122533)
• Gainesville, Florida
31 Dec 20
It's not even finished and it's already beautiful. I can imagine how much more so it will be once it's finally finished.
Where does the source water come from behind the dam, and what has caused it to become so salty?
2 people like this
@moffittjc (122533)
• Gainesville, Florida
3 Jan 21
@JudyEv With the entire area being a national park now, will that eventually fix the salt problem?
I was thinking you were going to tell me there was saltwater intrusion from the ocean due to global warming and rising sea levels. We see that a lot here in low-lying Florida, where many of our freshwater wells and water supplies are contaminated by saltwater intrusion from the ocean.
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@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Jan 21
@moffittjc I haven't heard of that happening here. The change is really just in name. Being a national park means there won't be more clearing but the damage has already been done.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78871)
• East Tawas, Michigan
28 Dec 20
This mural is gorgeous, what a wonderful work of art! I'm wondering if this is only one artist or maybe more than one working on this project. I love it!
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (78871)
• East Tawas, Michigan
29 Dec 20
@JudyEv None the less, it's a remarkable piece of art!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (345156)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Dec 20
@LowRiderX There are children playing on a beach.
2 people like this
@LowRiderX (22903)
• Serbia
28 Dec 20
@JudyEv It looks like a childrens to me.. I just paid attention to see what it was
1 person likes this
