A splash of colour

By Casey Neill
MONTROSE’S rich history is now breathing life into a once dingy alleyway.
Montrose Township Group last weekend unveiled a colourful mural in the walkway beside 924 Mt Dandenong Tourist Road.
“This alley used to be completely covered in graffiti and there were tags everywhere,” project facilitator Julie McDonald said.
The township group cleaned off the vandalism just over a year ago.
“It was a dark, dingy, unsafe-feeling alleyway,” she said.
“We wanted to see what sort of graffiti problem we had, because it was pretty old. It stayed pretty much clean since then.”
“Once we’d cleaned it we saw it was a great opportunity.”
The group secured Arts Grant Scheme funding from Yarra Ranges Council and approached Montrose Historical Society for help with a theme.
The history of the township is now depicted in 12 paintings which include portraits, the Montrose festival, guest houses and transport.
Artists Janice Anne, Flaminia Grubacki, Justine Indigo-Rose, Janet Wilson, Richard Fennell, Sue Anderson, Karen Robinson, Wendy Heath, Rig Bell, Janette Dodson and Ros Hunter volunteered their time for the project.
Montrose Primary School and Billanook Primary School also contributed panels with help from art teachers Mandy Johnson and Janette Blain.
“The hours that go into painting them is unbelievable,” Ms McDonald said.
The panels have an anti-graffiti coating and security cameras and lighting now line the alley.
“We’re hoping that it will not be that unsafe, dingy part of the centre of town,” Ms McDonald said.