Are you a lover of murals and street art? Moree in New South Wales is the place to visit if you are.
First, head to the Visitor Information centre at 67 Alice Street, Moree and pick up a copy of “The Art Trails in the Moree Plains”. Opening hours are: Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm; Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 9:00am-1:00pm.
Your next stop should be the Cafe Omega (145 Balo Street) for your first mural “fix” and an enjoyable coffee and snack (or lunch).
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Of interest:
Moree (population 7,500) is located on the banks of the Mehi River in northern New South Wales. The town is home to artesian hot spring baths which are famous for their reputed healing qualities. So – after you’ve hiked around looking at the 15 unique and colourful murals in the town, head off to the artesian baths to rejuvenate your body.
Open: Mon-Fri 9:00am-5:00pm
Sat, Sun & Public Holidays 9:00am-1:00pm
Cafe Omega Murals – artist, James Ellis
Funky mural at Cafe Omega
We had a coffee and lunch in the funky and eye-opening Café Omega. Mind you my coffee was cold by the time I’d walked around looking at the mural in depth that featured Alfresco Dining.
Can you see how the customers blend in with the art workl?
The wall was once very boring and blank, but the creative café owners soon fixed that as al fresco is symbolic of their café business.
Williams Stock & Property Building – artist, James Ellis
Farmer and his calf
Just over the road from The Cafe Omega you’ll see this “farmer with his calf in a field of oats”. This huge mural highlights the significance of Agriculture, the largest industry in the Moree plains. It’s three stories high and 12m long. Time taken was 2 days and a ‘stockpile’ of spray cans. James (artist) said he worked from sunrise to sunset and even as late as 10 pm to be complete in the timeframe.
NB – The lady in the red dress is advertising a fashion boutique, but I couldn’t crop her out of the photo without losing too much of the cow!
Moree Race Club – artist James Ellis
The Moree Race Club has a mural on the 100m stable wall featuring, horses racing, jockeys in their silks and racegoers in their glad rags. Trying to fit this L O N G and colourful creation into a photo, or even three, was a challenge!
Mural on the Moree Race Club stables.
Mural of jockeys in their silks, Moree Race Track
Racegoers featured on the Race Track Rural, Moree
On the Wall of P.R. Interiors – artist James Ellis
This is another of the murals that symbolise the significance of the Agricultural Industry in the Moree Plains. Look at the incredibly clear blue skies and black soil plains – only in Australia!
Crops and Farming.
Moree Secondary College – Senior Campus
Somehow or other, we missed getting a decent photo of this mural as you need permission from the school office to enter the school grounds and school “was out” when we arrived at this destination.
Moree’s Yaama Ganu Centre – Emmanuel Moore & Ben Johnson
This fascinating artwork symbolises the 1965 Freedom Ride led by Indigenous student activist Charles Perkins. For the life of me, I’d never have the artistic imagination to paint such a deep and meaningful creation.
“Freedom Ride” Mural – Yaama Ganu Centre
Lyle Houlahan Park – Kylie McNamara
I like bright art work and this contemporary creation was right up my alley. Located on a wall of the Visitor Information Centre – the mural was painted (from a painting) by Kylie McNamara. The official description is “the painting is a bold contemporary expression to the ancient stories of Kamilaroi country (location) and the more recent life of the Aboriginal community in Moree.”
Mural depicting ancient stories of Kamilaroi country, Moree.
Dr Geoffrey Hunter Bridge Murals – Amy Canfield
These took some finding, even though I was virtually standing on top of the wall with the murals underneath!
Walking under the bridge I found this upbeat artwork created by Amy Canfield to represent the many aspects of Moree. Everything from friendship to culture, happiness and unity in a cheerful and colourful place. We all know that the area under bridges is usually dull, and often covered in graffiti, so these murals were a real eye opener.
Brightening our day.
Happy Days!
Brolgas – Charles and Janine Williams
Let’s Dance with the Brolgas.
This very bright, and lifelike, inspiration of brolgas dancing with a silhouette of dancers really won me over. The green background and bright sun sets off the artwork perfectly.
I’ve seen Brolgas dancing once on the way to Cooktown, but have never seen any since, so this was the next best thing.
R2K Tyres – J.R. Ellis
Quite simply, this artwork illustrates the products and services offered by R2K tyres. We found it an unusual mural, but thought it showed the passion behind the company (and the artist) to provide such a good business and give a colourful lift to a dull building.
A unique mural at R2K Tyres.
Grainland Moree Mural – J.R.Ellis
Admiring the wheat.
Back to agriculture again with this artwork showing a farmer standing in a wheat paddock under the wide blue skies of Moree Plains.
You can see this mural easily from the main road, i.e. Moree Bypass but is definitely worth a diversion for a close-up look.
Old Killick’s General Store Building – John Kaye and Emmanual Moore
Surrealist Artwork at Moree.
This surrealist artwork took a bit of working out – I had to exercise the brain more than usual. However, I’m still none the wiser. Having said that I could see the connection between a broken pencil (made from a tree) connecting a school bus heading off in the opposite direction.
Artists will understand the description though, which is, “Surrealism aimed at expressing imaginative dreams and visions free from conscious rational control.”
What do you think?
Hardman Windscreens & Outdoors – J.R. Ellis
The river comes to life at Hardman Windscreens & Outdoors.
Such brilliant coloured murals that highlighted the camping and recreational lifestyle of Moree. You can see the banks of the river, open blue skies, tall shady trees and the Mehi River – the life blood of the community.
NB – For a close up look be there during business hours, otherwise you’ll have to take from outside the fence to avoid the guard dogs!
Statewide Aviation – J.R. Ellis
Soaring over the sunflower fields.
Easily seen from the Newell Highway, this large mural is definitely worth a stop, and a walk closer across the park, for a closer look.
Featuring a plane flying over fields of sunflowers, wheat and cotton as the sun in setting – such a perfect time of the day. Absolutely no disrespect to the artist, but the plane reminded me of a Disney Style flying aircraft!
Farewell to Moree’s creative artwork and on to see the Millmerran murals scattered throughout the old Queensland town featuring the dairy industry of yesteryear.
Location of Moree
- Moree is located 625 km north of Sydney via Gunnedah and Narrabri.
- Can recommend the Mehi Village Caravan Park (with Cabins).
Visit Moree and its Murals!
