South Hedland’s Wise Terrace Road Mural

Students from Hedland Senior High School and the Polly Farmer Follow the Dream program teamed up with RAC, the Town of Port Hedland, Town Team Movement, and Kariyarra Elders to create the largest youth-led road mural in WA. Here’s how it went.

In August 2022, the South Hedland community set out to revamp their town centre. They wanted to make it safer and more inviting for pedestrians. A key part of this week-long transformation was the creation of a 40-metre road mural along Wise Terrace. A group of 30 students from Hedland Senior High School’s Polly Farmer Follow the Dream program were responsible for designing the mural.

With vibrant designs that reflect local culture and connection to Country, the mural serves two purposes. First, it helps to calm traffic on South Hedland’s main street. Second, it celebrates the creativity and self-expression of local youth.

Almost a quarter of South Hedland’s residents identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, so it was important for the mural to reflect their culture and land. This includes waterways, plants, and animals.

Local young people painting animal tracks on the pavement

Local young people painting native plants on the pavement

Local teens rolled up their sleeves to paint the Wise Terrace road mural.

How young people shaped the Wise Terrace Road Mural

The project aimed to boost local youth involvement and connection with their community and public spaces. It provided a platform for them to make positive changes. The project also aimed to change South Hedland’s image of youth disengagement and antisocial behaviour.

The process

The road mural project was a joint effort between students from Hedland Senior High School, including members of the Polly Farmer Follow the Dream program, and Elders and local First Nations People. Together they planned, designed, and painted the mural. This created valuable relationships between project participants and helped them to develop practical work experience.

"It is great to see more locals and visitors enjoying the space, connecting with friends and supporting local businesses"
Mayor Peter Carter

When the mural was complete, participants were immediately able to see the positive impacts of their hard work. The mural helped to create a safer and more welcoming town centre, with improved access to the skate park and local shopping centre.

The success of the mural also led to the permanent closure of the road to traffic. Mayor Peter Carter said, ‘it is great to see more locals and visitors enjoying the space, connecting with friends, and supporting local businesses.’

Local young people at work painting elements of their road mural — The teens also helped design the mural, incorporating local features like the Desert Pea into it.

During the project, participants experienced personal growth. They had been shown that their ideas and opinions matter. They had also been empowered to contribute more to their local community. One participant said, ‘This project inspired me, because it made me get out and do something and make the community come together.’

The outcome

The Wise Terrace road mural is now the largest youth-led road mural in WA. It was featured at the 2022 Town Team WA State Conference, where participants were presented with certificates to acknowledge their valuable contributions to the revitalisation of the South Hedland Town Centre.

The project has also won numerous state and national awards, including:

State and National Winner of the “Best Regional Contribution” category at the 2023 Parks and Leisure Australia Awards
State Award Winner of the “Great Place” and “Community Wellbeing and Diversity” categories at the 2023 Planning Institute of Australia National Awards for Planning Excellence
National Award Winner of the “Community Wellbeing and Diversity” category at the 2024 Planning Institute of Australia National Awards for Planning Excellence

The importance of youth-led projects

The Wise Terrace road mural has the potential to be a pivotal steppingstone for the young people involved, leading them towards stronger community connections and more community participation.

Youth-led projects instil participants with feelings of achievement, pride, and ownership. It also helps young people develop leadership skills and confidence at an important time in their lives.

How you can get involved in youth-led projects

Is there a street or place in your community that could use a makeover? We’re always on the lookout for young people to help create new youth-friendly streets and public spaces. Click the button below to register your interest in our next local makeover project.

Register your interest