Sheffield (Tasmania) - Town of Murals

This case study describes how a major mural painting project revitalised a town.

Experiencing a state of steady economic decline in the late 1980's, the residents of Sheffield, began to consider ways in which they could act to prevent their descent into economic oblivion. This led to the formulation of a regional tourism committee which began to investigate ideas for development.

Based upon the experiences of Chemainus, in Canada, the concept of a mural project was researched and eventually pursued. Today the mural project has been credited with rescuing the town, with over 26 original murals on display throughout the town. Sheffield now promotes itself as "The Town of Murals" and "Tasmania's Outdoor Art Gallery".

An example of one of the murals is shown in the photograph below. An explanation of its history and the artist who painted it follows:

Stillness and warmth was the first mural to be painted in Sheffield as part of the Murals Project. It features Gustav Weindorfer, the man responsible for having Cradle Mountain/Lake St. Clair declared a National Park. The theme is taken from his diary "When the ground is all covered in snow, I do build a big fire, open my door, seat myself very, very quietly in front of the blazing logs and presently they come in, one by one, the wild animals, without their usual fear of man or of one another, and share with me, in stillness, their grateful warmth".

The artist who painted the mural was John Lendis, who was selected from a number of artists who applied to paint the first mural.

Stillness and warmth