An Artistic Nod to Wonthaggi's History

Words

In what’s fast becoming a South Gippsland tradition, another majestic mural is now adorning a Wonthaggi building, paying homage to the rich and colourful history of the mining town.

A 15-metre-long scene now graces the wall of the former Graham Street office of Alex Scott, replacing a ‘tired’ area with a salute to a bygone era.

Completely funded by Alex Scott, the mural is somewhat of a love letter to Wonthaggi and its connection to the company’s founder.

Alex Scott Korumburra CEO Paul Dunlop says the idea was sparked by wanting to further beautify the Wonthaggi township after a similar project at Connell’s Bakery gathered widespread praise.

“We needed to make that wall look better because it was a bit of an eyesore as you came into Wonthaggi. So, we painted it and then the mural was the next step,” Paul said.

After speaking to the company’s directors Tom Gibson and Greg Price as well as Wonthaggi Branch Manager Dan Huther, the project was given the green light and funding.

They employed muralists Brigitte Dawson and Melissa Turner from Melbourne’s Murals, who are renowned for their incredible work. They came up with an incredible vision that captured the town’s commercial beginnings and its deep mining roots.

The piece features streetscapes, shops, and the famed pit ponies of Wonthaggi, which it’s believed Alex Scott supplied to the mines.

The mural was started in October last year and took three months to complete thanks to the wet weather, with curious visitors watching it slowly unfold.

“They had a lot of people stopping and talking to them. Especially Wonthaggi born and bred people that just knew a lot of the history of the town. It created a lot of interest right from the start. The idea of having something that’s good for the town and creating a bit of publicity for the town, was part of the idea.”

The mural includes Knox Brothers Timber and Hardware store, which occupied the current carpark space between 1913 and 1987, and an image of the Alex Scott office.

Two plaques at the mural site pay tribute to the Scott family, who have been with the business for 135 years. In particular, past chairman and son-in-law of Stewart Scott, Bruce Gibson, who passed away in 2020.

“The only reference that we have to Alex Scott (in the mural) is an office that has ‘Alex Scott & Co’. It’s not a Wonthaggi office but it was their office in Dandenong with Alex Scott actually standing out the front of the office. We didn’t want to make it a billboard for us, we just wanted to try and show the connection between Alex Scott, the mine and the pit ponies.”

The ribbon-cutting ceremony attracted an enthusiastic crowd of locals, including Bruce Gibson’s wife Anne.

Since its unveiling in March, the mammoth mural has seen a steady stream of curious visitors, keen to take in the incredible detail and learn more about the historical foundations of Wonthaggi. The mural joins the ranks of the town's many other murals, including Connells Bakery’s native birds, Durham Lane’s deep sea, flora and fauna and Cargills’ mining history. The mural can be found on the wall of 99 Graham Street, Wonthaggi.