THE NEW Spirit of Tasmania Quay passenger terminal now features an 80-metre-long indigenous art mural.
The painting of an orange-bellied parrot was a collaborative effort by Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, represented by Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC), artist John Challis, GeelongPort and Spirit of Tasmania.
Spirit of Tasmania CEO Bernard Dwyer said the main installation of the Orange-bellied parrot represented the strong connection between Tasmania and Victoria.
“We are thrilled to have such beautiful and meaningful artworks onsite to greet passengers as they arrive at Spirit of Tasmania Quay to start their journey and to introduce passengers from Tasmania to Wadawurrung country as they disembark,” he said.
GeelongPort CEO Brett Winter said the team was “extremely proud” of the local indigenous art and themes showcased at Spirit of Tasmania Quay.
“We worked closely with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation to develop the internal concepts and external artwork to really showcase the culture and wildlife that is unique to this area,” he said.
WTOAC CEO Paul Davis commended the work of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners and staff for developing this story.
“A mural that must be about 20 car lengths – it may be the largest public artwork in Geelong,” he said.
There are numerous panels of interpretive artwork inside and surrounding the terminal building that feature Djilang and Coriayo Bay, as well as an Acknowledgement to Country, in both Wadawurrung and English languages.
And also, three carved basalt stone shells are visible to passengers arriving at the terminal building and drop-off roundabout.
The external artworks are a collaboration between WTOAC and GeelongPort.
