Townsville Street Art Trail
Discover amazing street art murals in the Townsville CBD!
Discover amazing street art murals in the Townsville CBD!
NO. 1 ROA ‑ Untitled [Sugar Glider]
📍 Located in Denham Lane, Townsville
The inaugural mural in Townsville by the globally celebrated artist ROA graces one of the city's walls. This piece is emblematic of the artist's signature style, wherein he adorns walls worldwide with depictions of local wildlife, utilising a monochromatic palette through the use of aerosol and acrylic in black and white.
NO. 2 HAHA ‑ Faces of Townsville
📍 Located in Denham Lane, Townsville
HAHA, a notorious stencil artist highly regarded in the country, was commissioned to further the evolution of Denham Lane into a prominent hub for street art. This mural is a testament to the artist's affinity for portraiture and media, as it features a combination of prominent figures associated with the city alongside local Townsville residents who shared a profound bond with the building and the radio station it sheltered.
NO. 3 KENNIE DEANER ‑ Untitled [Agora House]
📍 Located in Denham Lane, Townsville
In May 2014, the Townsville City Council commissioned a mural which was brought to life by the local artist Kennie Deaner. This artwork is an amalgamation of Deaner's traditional graffiti inspirations seamlessly blended with a portrait of Captain William Howard Smith, a historical luminary after whom the building was previously named. Agora House, constructed between 1910-1911, originally served as the new offices for the Townsville branch of the Howard Smith Company Ltd, which operated as a coastal shipping enterprise.
NO. 4 MANTRA ‑ Silence and whisperings
📍 Located on The Brewery, Townsville
Hailing from Metz, France, and born in 1987, Mantra is an autodidactic painter who has been a dynamic presence in the graffiti realm since 2008. His mural titled 'Silence and Whisperings' captures a serene scene of a woman engrossed in reading, nestled amidst lush greenery. This mural offers viewers a close, intimate window into a moment tinged with romance and poetry, stirring the onlooker's curiosity and imagination.
NO. 5 BEASTMAN ‑ Converge
📍 Located in Ogden Street, Townsville
From Sydney, Beastman is an artist who dabbles in various art forms. He draws inspiration from the captivating beauty and symbolism inherent in nature's recurring geometric patterns, landscapes, and fluid organic lines. Beastman's art is characterised by intricate details and a riot of colours, portraying a hidden realm teeming with nascent life, hope, and resilience. The exuberant use of vivid colours in his pieces resonates with the vitality found in tropical environments.
NO. 6 BABY GUERRILLA ‑ Perpetual Motion
📍 Located in Ogden Street, Townsville
This piece draws parallels between the historical evolution of deep-sea diving and the multifaceted nature of human existence, highlighting the chasms that separate us from our inner selves, fellow human beings, and the natural world. Baby Guerrilla, acclaimed as Australia's preeminent female paste-up artist, characterises her craft of wall drawings as a tantalising challenge. She eloquently speaks of engaging in a ballet with spatial constraints and gravity, challenging and yet harmonising with these forces through her art.
NO. 7 ROA ‑ Untitled [Goanna]
📍 Located in Ogden Street, Townsville
ROA's colossal mural depicting a goanna stems from an awe-inspiring experience during one of his earlier visits to Australia. He recounts, "On my last visit to Australia, I observed my friend Keith, a native of the Pilbara region, skillfully catching a goanna for a family barbecue. It was profoundly moving to witness the respect he showed the creature – he conversed with the goanna in his indigenous language, seeking its permission before taking its life to nourish his family." This deeply rooted connection with the land and tradition informed ROA's choice to immortalise the goanna through his monumental painting.
NO. 8 JAMES GIDDY ‑ Collective
📍 Located on the Ogden Street Bus Hub, Townsville
James Giddy, an artist based in Western Australia, draws significant inspiration from the French approach of en plein air painting, centring his creative endeavours on themes that explore the mystique of the unknown and the importance of environmental preservation. His piece, titled 'Collective', portrays the indigenous kookaburras through a fusion of impressionistic and realistic artistry, with a particular emphasis on the rich blue tones in their wings, celebrating their innate elegance. The mural emanates a sense of comforting familiarity, serving as a gentle reminder to observers of the intimate interplay between nature and the fabric of their daily lives.
NO. 9 ALL HOURS ‑ Transmission
📍 Located on the Ogden Street Bus Hub, Townsville
ALL HOURS is an eclectic arts collective that evolved from the renowned RUN CREW. This versatile group of artists adeptly traverses both conventional and avant-garde mediums with equal prowess. The collective thrives on collaboration, merging various styles and components to fabricate a tapestry of imagery. This rich mosaic is derived from the artists' unique individual expressions as well as their shared bond with the community and the picturesque landscape of North Queensland.
NO. 10 BEASTMAN ‑ Untitled
📍 Located in Ogden Street, Townsville
Upon being invited to Townsville for the creation of 'Converge', Beastman seized the opportunity to craft an additional artwork during his stay. This creation is an experimental venture, marking a departure from his signature use of effulgent, rainbow-hued colours. The outcome is a more subdued and refined piece, yet it unmistakably retains Beastman's hallmark geometric patterns that draw inspiration from the natural world.
NO. 11 THE RUN COLLECTIVE ‑ Space Trails
📍 Located in Ogden Street, Townsville
'Space Trails' portrays a fantastical maritime landscape interwoven with cosmic elements, where vibrant, multicoloured clouds seem to seep out of celestial bodies and undergo transformations into an array of shapes including UFOs, eyes, and intricate patterns. This surrealistic tableau fuses terrestrial and extraterrestrial themes, creating an otherworldly visual experience.
NO. 12 LEANS ‑ Mother Earth
📍 Located in Ogden Street, Townsville
'Mother Earth' presents an enthralling depiction of the dynamism and euphoria experienced while delving into the depths of the Great Barrier Reef, and captures the vibrant allure of the twilight sky. The artwork is composed of an abundant array of patterns and colours, inspired by snapshots of the region-specific coral and fish. Fruits, human figures, and fluid forms weave through a blend of elements, coalescing and breathing in unison to construct a vivid and colourful representation of Townsville's ecosystem.
NO. 13 GARTH JANKOVIC AND NICKY BIDJU PRYOR ‑ Girroogul and the Soap Tree
📍 Located in Flinders Street, Townsville
Esteemed Townsville-based artists Garth Jankovic and Nicky Bidju Pryor joined forces to create an artwork that narrates the tale of Girroogul. Their collaboration was driven by the aspiration to "craft a mural that pays homage to the narratives of the indigenous custodians of this land, and to exemplify the strength and harmony that emanate from the confluence of two cultures."
NO. 14 JAMES GIDDY ‑ Concord
📍 Located in Sturt Street, Townsville
Seagulls are a familiar presence along the shores of Townsville, and James has ingeniously transported one such seagull into the urban landscape of Sturt Street. In a departure from his previous artistic style, he has incorporated an innovative twist by embedding a beachscape within the silhouette of the seagull, creating a delightful interplay between the natural and urban environments.
NO. 15 HAFLEG ‑ Under the Sea
📍 Located in Sturt Street, Townsville
Hafleg's art is deeply rooted in his identity as a Larrakia artist, with the Larrakia people recognised as the Traditional Owners of the Darwin and Cox Peninsula areas in the Northern Territory. His mural evokes a sense of awe and reverence for nature, urging individuals to cherish their bond with the natural world. 'Under the Sea' is a visually arresting piece, characterised by its vivid hues, energetic composition, and the incorporation of crosshatching - a nod to Hafleg's Larrakia lineage.
NO. 16 815K1 ‑ Cat and Mouse
📍 Located in Stanley Street, Townsville
815K1's 'Cat and Mouse' is a spirited visual spectacle that harmonises with the surrounding modern urban flair of oversized animals and portraits in Townsville CBD, ingeniously utilising the available space in the laneway. The classic cat-and-mouse chase is instantly relatable, while the almost-touching limbs of the cat and mouse serve as both an homage to and a playful parody of Michelangelo's "The Creation of Adam" (1512), incorporating an imaginative twist with the inclusion of a rodent.
NO. 17 CLAIRE FOXTON ‑ Sound & Movement Personified
📍 Located in Stanley Street, Townsville
Australian artist Claire Foxton joined forces with Dancenorth, a local dance ensemble, to capture a photograph of a contemporary dancer in the throes of motion. Claire then embarked on an artistic journey to embody the quintessence of sound and movement through a kaleidoscope of colours and expressive strokes. This harmonious fusion of diverse art forms beckons an emotional engagement from the audience, as they are invited to immerse themselves in the vibrant interplay of motion and hues.
NO. 18 NICKY BIDJU PRYOR ‑ Brolga Song and Dance
📍 Located in Sturt Street, Townsville
The Brolga holds a traditional and native significance to the Townsville region, predominantly inhabiting wetlands, lakes, and other water bodies. The incorporation of vivid and energetic colours in the artwork captures the dynamic essence of these birds as they perform their graceful dances in harmony with the natural symphony around them. The painting resonates with life and movement, reflecting the Brolga's intrinsic connection to its natural surroundings.
NO. 19 FINTAN MAGEE ‑ The Tower
📍 Located in City Lane, Townsville
Fintan Magee, who was born in Lismore, New South Wales, relocated to Brisbane during his childhood and soon embarked on his artistic journey through drawing. In his formative teenage years, he was immersed in Brisbane's vibrant street art scene. Magee's oeuvre is characterised by a blend of surrealism and figuration. Commissioned by Lancini Property and Development with support from Townsville City Council, this artwork serves as a tribute to the indomitable spirit, generosity, resilience, and benevolence that Queenslanders epitomise during periods of flooding and adversity.
NO. 20 LEE HARDEN ‑ The Smizler
📍 Located in City Lane, Townsville
The second artwork commissioned for display in City Lane features a depiction of Garth 'The Smizler' Jankovic, who is among Townsville's most esteemed and impactful street artists. The creator of this piece, Lee Harnden, spent his formative years in Townsville and drew substantial inspiration from Jankovic. Harnden's signature style of portraiture in street art has found its way onto walls around the globe, invariably maintaining the distinct imprint of his personal flair.
NO. 21 ROA ‑ Untitled [Croc and Turtle]
📍 Located in Sturt Street, Townsville
Representing ROA's most audacious mural in Townsville, this creation reflects his characteristic penchant for 'stacking' indigenous fauna within his designs. Boasting a grand-scale depiction of a crocodile and turtle, the artist remarkably accomplished this piece in a mere week. During his tenure in Townsville, ROA offered insights into the Street Art movement, remarking, "It can provide inspiration and offer much enjoyment... Street art is a global movement with different practices and ways to approach it." His words highlight the unifying and inspirational aspects of street art across the globe.
NO. 22 TELLAS ‑ The Barrier
📍 Located in Sturt Street, Townsville
Situated in the dry tropics of Queensland, Townsville is nestled next to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, a site of immense heritage significance in Australia. 'The Barrier' mural offers viewers an opportunity for introspection, extending an invitation to ponder the immense value of the Great Barrier Reef, which is facing a silent decline. The artwork beckons the onlooker to become immersed in the breathtaking landscape, serving as an homage to one of the world's most majestic natural wonders.
NO. 23 ADNATE ‑ Wulgurukaba and Bindal
📍 Located in Melton Terrace, Townsville
Adnate, an Australian artist, is celebrated for his strikingly realistic creations using aerosol paints. The conception of this mural was born out of a thorough cultural consultation and development process and serves to honour Townsville's Traditional Owners and Custodians, the Bindal and Wulgurukaba people. The imagery that shaped the design was derived from a smoking ceremony performed on-site at the outset of the project, establishing a deep connection between the artwork and the cultural heritage it commemorates.
NO. 24 WOSNAN ‑ Coratherium
📍 Located on Reef HQ, best seen from Palmer Street, Townsville
Commissioned by the Townsville City Council and Reef HQ Aquarium, Wosnan, an artist of international acclaim, engaged in an artist residency at the Aquarium to closely observe the marine life of the Great Barrier Reef. Drawing inspiration from the teeming life that thrives in the ocean's depths, 'Coratherium' materialises as a creature imbued with awe and formidable power. This mural captures the essence of the sea's mysteries and the magnificence of its inhabitants.
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