Chilco Tunnel Nature Mural Description Chilco Tunnel is a former railway tunnel connecting Chilco Road to Atkins Road in the Town of View Royal. In 2007, View Royal staff proposed that the community come together to create a mural, making a neighbourhood statement against graffiti. Local mural artist, Morgan Macaulay, was hired to design and paint a magical forest scene inside the tunnel, full of trees, native plants, flowers, and birds. Children and parents from the neighbourhood were invited to help and the mural was unveiled in August 2007. The artwork was refreshed by the same artist in October of 2023.
Artist statement
When the idea for the mural came about in 2007, there was no specific theme other than to make the mural friendly for all ages. Macaulay came up with the theme, the involvement of the community, and sourced out many colours of recycled roll paint for residents to use. He outlined all the animals and insects for the residents to paint in, not unlike a “paint by numbers”, and then the community showed up for a day of painting together. Everybody had fun painting and being creative.
About the artist Born in 1979, Morgan Macaulay started doing art at the age of one and won the Kennedy art award twice at the age of twelve. He started with acrylics in 1992 and took up oils in 2005. Macaulay is also fluent in airbrush, watercolor, ink and spray paint techniques. His oil paintings are in private collections in Victoria as well as businesses. He painted his first mural in 1998 and in the winter, provides Christmas window painting, with hundreds of clients in the region.
Details Medium
Exterior latex paint, topped with clear coat resin on concrete
Dimensions
Approximately 9 x 35m
Site
Chilco Road Tunnel, View Royal, between Fagan Place and Chilco Road
Artwork category
Civic Public Art
